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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27215377">How to Become an Avatar: For Dummies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creativewriter722/pseuds/Creativewriter722'>Creativewriter722</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender, Badboyhalo, Dream Team - Fandom, Dreamwastaken, GeorgeNotFound - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Sapnap - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventures, Air Bender!BadBoyHalo, Alternate Universe - Avatar &amp; Benders Setting, Avatar!Dream, Camping, DreamTeam, Earth Bender!Dream, F/F, F/M, Family Issues, Fire Bender!Sapnap, Friendship, Love, M/M, Minecraft, Near Death Experiences, Pining, Water Bender!GeorgeNotFound, bad throws knives, chaotic muffinteer energy, cool fight scenes, domestic travelers, dream is a simp, dreamnotfound, just a cool idea i had at 2 am, poor gogy, sapnap is a god-tier chef, soft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:34:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,397</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27215377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creativewriter722/pseuds/Creativewriter722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>His name is Clay. Born in a small but prideful village centered on earthbending professions, the 21 year old never felt as though his desires matched up with the rigid expectations placed upon him.  </p><p>Clarity comes in a dream: A mysterious being calls out to Clay and gives him a decision: Pursue the uncertain path of an Avatar, or carry on with his mundane life. Surprising himself, Clay takes on the responsibility of the Avatar role. Immediately after, Clay is given vague instructions on how to save his world: </p><p>1. Gather a "pure bender" from each element he lacks mastery of.<br/>2. Establish a deep connection with each of these pure benders and, from their teachings, learn how to bend air, fire, and water.<br/>3. Save the world from a threat Clay had yet to recognize. </p><p>His dream had not been very specific, nor helpful. But Clay was determined to do his best on his mission, and fulfill his new duty—because if not him, who? </p><p> </p><p>  <em>or: clay embarks on a terrifying, tiresome journey.. but with the added bonus of three new best friends. Chaos follows the Dream Team wherever Muffin (Bad's flying bison) takes them—along with bickering, yo mama jokes, and the occasional cool fight scene.</em></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream &amp; GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>115</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Beginning Author Notes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thank you for stopping by! This is a work in progress, and I can't guarantee it'll be fully completed one day... but lets let our love for the dteam + bad unite us :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thank you for clickingggggg  </p><p> </p><p>sooo i haven't actually written anything yet but I loved the idesa of this sooo... if ya'll are interested, leave a comment so I can see if this story will succeed. </p><p>Also important to note ---- the dreamnotfound shipping will be light and not the main focus. It’ll be still super cute and angsty and whatnot, but the plot is mainly adventure and not just romance. also, if any of the dteam express new concerns or discomfort with fanfictions, i will take this down immediately </p><p> </p><p>more notes: The concept of an avatar is new to the world. Therefore, it is completely unfamiliar territory for Clay. He is an earthbender, but born with the rare potential to become an avatar. in other words, he is not an avatar yet, but he can become one given the right motivation and training. The trick is that the only way to learn to bend elements other than earth, Clay must forge powerful bonds with pure benders of other elements. These pure benders are special people who perfectly embody all that is their respective elements.



needless to say, Clay has quite a lot on his plate lmao</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Enter ??? (Introduction)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Introduction</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>omg so i got a lot more response than i expected. ya'll were really awesome and im glad you went out of your way to comment or send kudos. I hope i dont disappoint!!  &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In order for a flower to grow, it must first begin as a humble seed. </p><p>Perhaps fallen from other flowers of its kind, toppled to the ground by nature's wishes. Or, maybe a strong breeze carried the seed from far off, distant lands. The seed could have been deliberately planted by a gardener, with precision and intent. There are many different possibilities.</p><p>The first condition of a seed's success must be the availability of water. Just a tiny bit is enough, but add too much and the seed may drown. A seed needs refreshment. </p><p>Next, there must be adequate soil, with lots of nourishment, for the seed to extend its roots into. A seed needs stability. </p><p>Once comfortable underground, the seed takes a step towards maturity and becomes a sapling. It will curiously breach the dirt with a newfound hunger for sunlight. The sapling will absorb the sun's rays through its tiny leaves in order to gain energy. A sapling needs warmth. </p><p>Finally, the surrounding air must provide the sapling carbon dioxide for the process of photosynthesis. There must be adequate resources in the area around the sapling; it will breath the clean air in through its leaves. A sapling needs space. </p><p>If all four of these requirements are met, a seed will become a sapling, and a sapling a flower. This is how the four elements collaborate to create life. The delicate balance between them all must remain uninfluenced, unwavering, and at an equilibrium. Earth, water, fire, and air: the four guardians of life. </p><p>Humankind was lucky to be chosen as the bearers of these elements. The likelihood of a person to be born with the gift of a certain element was nondiscriminatory; it did not matter one's race, gender, sexuality, education, etc. The one who chose—or did not choose at all—a person's element... was nature. Left to chance, or fate. Whichever one most suited a person's ideology. </p><p> </p><p>There's still an interesting question left to ponder: To what extent does the unraveling of time relate to chance? Surely you don't let yourself believe coincidences are merely coincidences? </p><p>The truth is, fate occasionally sticks its hand into the river of time. But if anyone claims to have the answers as to why, or the full story, consider them a fool. Who's to say precisely when fate's spindly fingers brushed against history, and why? Things have occurred, things are occurring, things will occur. Trying to understand that algorithm will leave you farther away from where you started. Most people won't entertain the unexplained, won't give it so much as a second glance. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Enter Clay Stronghold.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>stay tuned lovely folks, and feel free to leave your thoughts and hopes in the comments &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Clay of the Earth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clay goes through another day of wondering what his meaning in life is. Later that night, he receives a rather surprising message.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Say hi to Clay, everyone. he's our protagonist here. </p><p>dirty-blonde earth bender boy go brrrrr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Pass it here! HERE!!!" The child screamed, waving her hands in the air wildly. Clay tilted his head at her shrill voice, his eyes instantly locating his little sister. He continued his sprint, a grin making its way onto his face. This was Annabelle's first time playing Rock Pass. Before, she had been too young to qualify for the official matches. Their mother also worried she would be unable to handle the intensity or the roughhousing. Boy, was she wrong about that. </p><p>With a grunt, Clay swiftly kicked the round boulder over to her. With terrifying confidence and strength, the 13-year-old met the boulder with the sole of her bare foot, creating an explosion of sound from the impact. The ball shot across the field, past the opposite team's defenses, and crashed into the goal. Actually—Anna's shot completely obliterated the goal. The goalies stood stiffly in the grass, motionless, with mixed expressions of admiration and terror. </p><p>Clay felt a burst of pride rise within himself for his younger sibling's accomplishment, and he cheered triumphantly at her score. With this, the green team had won the game. Annabelle's green eyes, a common trait of the Stronghold family, sought Clay's face for approval. He hastily sprinted over to her, crushing her in a bear hug. </p><p>"LET'S GOOOO!" The dirty-blonde man hoisted his younger sister up unto his shoulders, grinning widely at her reaction of joyful screaming and giggles. The other members of their makeshift team, people ranging from 13-25 due to the age limits, crowded around the two siblings and rejoiced merrily. From the sidelines, Clay's parents cheered loudly for Annabelle. 


</p><p>Less than an hour later, the Stronghold family was eating dinner together at their dining table. To celebrate the win, Mrs. Stronghold had cooked up a feast, covering every inch of the table with entrees and side dishes. All 6 of the family members were present, which was pretty rare. </p><p>"So," Mr. Stronghold began, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of meat. "Anna, how was your first game?" </p><p>"It was awesome." The blonde girl grinned toothily. "I thought it'd be harder, to be honest." The rest of the family chuckled at that. "What? I'm serious. Clay already taught me all the tips and tricks of Rock Pass." Annabelle boasted, looking proud. "Cause he's the best in the village." A slightly tense hush fell over the table at the mention of Clay. </p><p>"Well, that's nice of him..." Mrs. Stronghold mused, eyes low. Mr. Stronghold glanced at his wife and then back up at Clay, who opted to continue eating and ignore him. </p><p>"Annabelle, you're young. You need fresh air and outside activities." The man commented. He narrowed his eyes at Clay, who was growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. "Clay, you're not. You're almost 21. You need to focus on your studies rather than playing games outside with a bunch of teenagers."</p><p>Clay said nothing. There was nothing to be said, anyways. Everyone else at the table felt the awkwardness, yet nobody dared to speak out against Mr. Stronghold, as he was the head of the house.</p><p>"Answer me, Clay." Mr. Stronghold prompted, and suddenly all attention fell squarely onto Clay's shoulders. The dirty-blonde paused for a moment, and offered a tiny nod to pacify his father for the time being.</p><p>"Um, anyways, the food is great, mom." Catherine, the eldest sibling of the four, piped up in an attempt to change the flow of the conversation. Mrs. Stronghold's expression brightened, and she jumped at the opportunity to relieve the room's tension. </p><p>"Thank you honey, this time I actually—" </p><p>"You didn't answer me, Clay. I'm still waiting for an appropriate response." Once again the room descended into silence. Mr. Stronghold was not in a merciful mood today, was not willing to spare the family from his own negative emotions. </p><p>Clay finally looked up from his plate, meeting his father's piercing eyes. The emerald-eyed man set his fork down with a bit too much force. </p><p>"I already told you before. I don't want to become a stonemason. Ba Sing Se has more than enough earthbenders working there." The defiance in his tone seemed to agitate his father even more. </p><p>"I'm not letting your skills go to waste like this. Playing games all day does nothing but rot your brain—it's throwing away your potential!" Clay's father threw his hands up. "I mean, do you <em>want</em> to be a failure? Because I know I will not tolerate a failure of a son." </p><p>The previous silence in the room extended into a suffocating shock. </p><p>"Peter—" Mrs. Stronghold gasped, putting a hand on her husband's shoulder. He did not relent.</p><p>"No, I'm serious. It's embarrassing for all of us, and for me especially, to have an eldest son who won't even go to school. He doesn't even have a girlfriend. We need to get his life back on track soon, or else."</p><p>That stung Clay. He could feel his face heat up, from shame and fury alike. Those sharp words, the disappointment, the blame. It was all true; Clay did not attempt to get a girlfriend, rarely even thought about it. He preferred practically anything over being stuck in a stuffy shack for hours perfecting a craft which he didn't even choose for himself. He liked to write, to play sports, to help out around the village—anything which would keep him away from becoming a stonemason, from a future of boredom and melancholy. Sure, if he went to Ba Sing Se with his current set of skills, he'd be guaranteed a good-paying job, maybe even a higher rank. </p><p>But Clay wanted more from life than that. Surely, there was more.</p><p>"Dad, I..." He began, swallowing the fear which threatened to choke him. "That's just the future YOU want for me!" He raised his voice, and for a second the expression on his father's face fell. Just as quickly as it did, it rose back up with ten times more anger. </p><p>"Don't raise your voice with me, Clay." Mr. Stronghold grit out, his voice scarily low. "As long as you're living under this roof you have to follow my rules. You're lucky I'm here to give you advice about what's best for you, because you just can't seem to think for yourself. With the way you're acting, you won't survive out there—not without my support!" Clay glared at him, firing back, </p><p>"No, you just try to control me. I don't think you want what's best for me, I think you want me to do what's best for you, and your 'reputation.'" The freckled man stood up sharply while he spoke, face contorted with frustration. His chair screeched along the floor, echoing throughout the dining room. "Everything you say is to manipulate me into becoming someone that I'm just <em>not."</em> Clay curled his fists into tight balls, practically stomping over to the front door. "And I won't let you decide a future that's not yours to decide!" He flung the door open and slammed it behind him, not bothering to glance back. At first he was just walking away from the house, every step filled with frustration, but then Clay heard the distinct sound of the front door being opened, and he booked it; he took off running, propelling his body with long sprints. He didn't want to think, or feel. He just wanted to run away from it all. </p><p> He ran and ran, past familiar neighbors and houses, past little bakeries and patches of children playing tag, past stone cutters and stone painters and brick and mortar shops and pottery houses. Clay was already considerably athletic thanks to hours of outside work and sports, but the mental stress weighing on his mind slowed him down considerably. The tears in his eyes did, too. </p><p> The green-eyed earthbender must have been running for almost half an hour, because before he knew it, he had exited the boundaries of his village. At some point, without himself even noticing, the scenery around him had shifted from human structures to nature's structures. It had also grown significantly darker outside, the sun lowering itself down to where only a sliver was left. Clay finally slowed down, finally allowed himself to pause and take in some proper amounts of air. He was sweaty, crying, and exhausted, but at the same time there was a strange content settled in his mind. The angry tears in his eyes had lost their painful stinging.</p><p>Clay collapsed to the ground; not a paved road or even a gravel clearway, but covered with wild grass. He finally took in his surroundings. Under him, cool green grass, but around him—</p><p> Wide open space. Not a single other person in sight, although far off in the distance he could detect the light emitting from the village. Still. He was alone. </p><p>Finally.</p><p>Here, it was just him and the stars. He lay down, spreading himself out on the dirt, unbothered by the idea of staining his clothes. Clay let his eyes wander the sky, thinking to himself that each star up above represented a different future for himself. There were infinite possibilities, and he had the power to choose whichever one he wanted—not his father. The only issue was... Clay himself wasn't sure of what he truly wanted for his future. He could identify what he didn't desire, which jobs and paths weren't for him, but there were still so many choices left to make. Too many choices. </p><p>When one is left alone with only nature as company, a person is able to better understand the meaning of serenity. Being an earthbender already provided Clay with special connections to the earth, but in this moment he felt something more profound. A belonging, perhaps, some strange peace. Whatever it was, it was incredibly relaxing. The tears which had tickled his eyes were dry, leaving his eyes to feel heavy. Clay felt a yawn rise up from within him, and he made no move to stop it nor to wake himself up. The quietness of the night was a lullaby, the cool air a blanket, and the solitariness good company. Soon, it had all coerced him to sleep.</p><p>...</p><p>Clay was dreaming. Somehow, he knew it.</p><p>He was laying in the same field which he had fallen asleep in, but something felt different. With a jolt, Clay realized it was himself. He was still wearing the same green hood, the same dirty leather boots and brown pants... but his energy felt different. The earthbender sat up, curious but not alarmed. He extended a hand over the patch of dirt beside him, fingers splayed, and on command a chunk of earth rose from the ground. </p><p>So he could still earthbend in this dream world. So then, what about his energy had changed? What was he feeling? </p><p>"Clay." </p><p>The man's head jerked up at his name. He swiveled his head around, searching for whoever had just spoken... but found no one. Standing up and brushing himself off, Clay slowly looked around again. But he was alone in this field of grass. </p><p>"Clay Stronghold of the village of Endré, son of Peter Stronghold and Millie Songie. Eldest brother of four children. Native element: Earth." The voice spoke again, deep and strong and rumbling like thunder. Clay's eyes widened, and he shuffled around with confusion, once again unable to locate the source of the voice. As he heard more words, Clay slowly realized that the origin of the sound was not from somewhere around him, but rather inside him. To be more precise, this strange disembodied voice was directly from his mind. </p><p>"What...?" Clay asked, voice cracking. He cleared his throat, wanting to sound tougher than that. "Who are you?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. At first, there was no response, but then right before his emerald eyes, a spectacle of light exploded. The light was so bright he had to shut his eyes, grunting in surprise. After a few seconds, Clay could sense behind his eyelids that the brightness had toned down enough for him to safely look. He had taken a few steps back before from shock, but now he bravely stood and faced the mystery. </p><p>There was a stone fountain before him. It was about half his height, a light gray color, with slight chipping here and there. Clay blinked at it, and circled it like a vulture circling a carcass. Eyes alert, body posed for whatever may come. As he got closer, he noted that there was no water in the fountain. It was empty, save for a lone flower. Each petal was a different color; it reminded him of the prize wheels his village commonly used for their festivals. His eyes softened at the thought of home, of familiarity.</p><p>"Who are you?" Clay repeated. He reached into the fountain and grasped the small flower, twirling it between his fingers. He could barely take his eyes off of the unusual plant.</p><p>"No, Clay. Who are you?" There it was, that ringing voice inside his head. He lifted a hand to his temple as the words reverberated around in his ears.</p><p>"What's the point of asking? You know who I am... I'm Clay Stronghold. You apparently know a lot about me." Clay responded, unable to keep the saltiness away from his tone. He swallowed nervously, although he didn't know why he felt nervous.</p><p>"That's true. It's you who lacks an understanding of yourself." Clay's eyes narrowed and he tore his gaze away from the flower and up to the skies, even though he knew the voice wasn't really coming from up there.</p><p>"What are you talking about?" The earthbender inquired, now feeling a bit defensive, because who was this guy to claim that he knew Clay better than Clay knew himself?</p><p>"You shout and argue to gain the rights to a future which you have not even contemplated. You wander without a clear goal in mind. You don't know what your purpose is." The voice listed, with no detectable emotions, just a monotone, smooth, informative tone. Clay sucked in a breath, feeling his lungs tighten. He placed the flower back into the dip of the fountain.</p><p>"Yeah. I'm still figuring things out. So what?" Clay countered. "At least I have the will to fight. That's all I need." He curled his fingers tightly, feeling the material of his gloves, letting his senses ground him.</p><p>There was a pregnant silence. The dirty-blond man found himself holding his breath, eager to hear what the mysterious voice would tell him. Desperate to hear something good, rather than critical, for once.</p><p>"You have a choice to make, Clay Stronghold." Inside his mind, the speaker addressed him directly. "You must decide whether you are capable of becoming the guardian of your world, or if you are not."</p><p>"Wh-What kind of a question is that?" Clay muttered. "The guardian?"</p><p>"The Avatar." The voice told him, and as the word entered his mind, Clay felt as though it had a special weight to it. The word was unfamiliar, yet Clay felt a connection instantly. He placed a hand over his beating heart. "A human with the capabilities to control each of the four elements at once: Earth, as you see before you." Clay's eyes drifted back towards the fountain. Now that he was paying more attention, he realized that every bit of the structure was made of Earth. Usually, decor such as fountains were at least a mix of several different marbles and stone. This fountain was pure, homogeneous stone.</p><p>"Water,"</p><p>Suddenly, from within the fountain, there was a burst of liquid. Clear water shot up from the center, filling up the basin and spilling onto the ground. Clay watched in awe as the once empty fountain became brimming with shimmering water, more clean than anything he'd ever seen before. The liquid shot up as a single stream, creating an arch of sparkling beauty.</p><p>"Fire," All around the circular rim of the fountain, tall flames sprung up. They glowed strongly, stood proudly, and roared with the might of a lion. Clay backed up, the heat from the flames nearly scorching his face.</p><p>"Air," Clay braced himself as he felt the air around him shift, a wind picking up. It blew through his hair and tugged on his clothes, growing more rapid every second. Soon, Clay's ears were filled with howls. He dug his feet into the ground and dropped to a crouch, yelling. Although squinted due to the wind buffeting his face, Clay's eyes caught the sight before him. The fire and water in the fountain were mixing, swirling into what seemed to be several narrow tornadoes. They grew taller and taller, combining into one giant twister, extended into the clouds. The sky turned from blue to golden, wavering like a barrier of magic. There was fear in Clay's heart at the sight, a terror at seeing the forces of nature and their raw power. However, there was also a deep desire to learn, to watch, and to understand. The sounds in his ears were deafening, his skin berated with droplets of water, heat, and air currents alike—</p><p>And yet the voice in his head was clear as a crystal.</p><p>"Together, these four elements are what sustain life itself. Even you, Clay, are a creation by their decision." Clay could only keep low to the ground, moving his head around to take in all that was going on above and around him. "As the avatar, you have the potential inside yourself to balance them, and use them against the evils which you will face."</p><p>"Are you crazy?! I can't do that! I'm just an earthbender!" Clay screamed with all his might, feeling his vocal chords move but not hearing an ounce of his actual voice. "I'm not an avatar!"</p><p>"Prove to yourself your limitations. Retrieve the flower from the stone fountain, Clay."</p><p>The dirty-blonde, with his fists dug in the dirt, flung a piece of rock into the air. It was caught by the wind and thrown far away into the distance.</p><p>"SEE?!" Clay screamed, raising his hand again, this time controlling an even larger piece of the ground. As soon as the section of earth was in the air, the wind tore it to shreds. Bits and pieces of dirt rained down onto Clay's face. He screwed his eyes shut, rubbing them violently. The dirt made his pupils ache, his eyes watering. He wished he had some water. If only he actually was an avatar, then maybe he'd be able to wash out these stupid bits of dirt from his—</p><p>A trickle of water slid down Clay's face, not quite strong but definitely noticeable. Clay felt his body freeze as the water brushed against his eyes, dislodging bits of dirt. He felt his breathing quicken. That wasn't... it was just a coincidence, right? The dirty-blonde male opened his eyes a crack, now able to see before him. The stone fountain stood intimidatingly before him, now more menacing than ever since Clay was sprawled on the grass like a rug.</p><p>There was only one way to test this.</p><p>His body trembling, his heart racing, and his muscles crying out from the stress, Clay pushed himself up to his feet. His legs were shaking, but he fought against the wind and pushed himself closer to the fountain. He was going to prove once and for all that the voice was wrong about him. That he wasn't as special as that stupid voice seemed to believe. Now, feeling the wind pushing and pulling at his body, Clay stood face to face with the fountain and its tornado of blue and orange. His eyes drifted up, trailing along the height of the beam, and then back down towards where the dip of the fountain was. Although he couldn't see it, he knew the flower was there.</p><p>He was afraid. Although this was a dream, he could still feel pain, as the dirt in his eyes from earlier proved. If he stuck his arm into this twister of fire, he'd burn the hell out of himself.</p><p>Still, it was just a dream, and he had to do this. Taking another deep breath in, Clay raised his right arm, shut his eyes, and thrust it through the wall of the tornado. His eyes still closed, he felt his hand brush against something soft. The flower. His fingers swept it up and he practically dove away from the fountain. With a thud, Clay landed unceremoniously onto the grass. Strangely, he didn't feel any pain. His arm remained intact, and in the palm of his hand was the rainbow flower.</p><p>Tentatively, Clay glanced back towards the fountain, his heart nearly stopping at what he saw.</p><p>From the very spot where his arm had entered the wall of the tornado, there was a gap. It was as if someone had simply erased an entire portion of the pillar, leaving an entrance just big enough for an arm. Clay's mouth went dry, and he glanced back towards the flower in his hand.</p><p>"I didn't... I couldn't have..." Clay whispered, his pupils blown. He was at a loss for words.</p><p>"Now you see. Although severely inexperienced, you are capable of controlling each and every element. As the Avatar, you must harness their power and defeat that which threatens the peace of the world. That is your role, should you accept your responsibility." </p><p>Clay simply blinked, his brain activity halted from the shock. </p><p>"How do I do that? How can I possibly be an Avatar?" The man asked, suddenly feeling rather small.</p><p>"In order to master the remaining three elements, you must seek out three pure, master benders." </p><p>"Pure benders?" Clay echoed in confusion.</p><p>"Benders which embody the element which they possess. They are other humans who you must forge deep, personal connections with. They will represent the closest thing to the elements themselves, and will serve as your bridges." The voice explained, and Clay became aware of the outside noise lessening. The movement around him calmed, the wind weakened. The violent tunnel of water and fire was slowing.</p><p>"How am I supposed to find people like that? There are billions of benders in the world, I don't even know where to—"</p><p>"You needn't worry, Clay. You will feel the connection." Now that the wind was mostly gone, Clay allowed his body to stop tensing. He was still breathing heavily, the flower in his palm most definitely crushed by his grip; but he was alive. And he realized that he was about to make the most life-changing decision of his life.</p><p>"Why should I do this?" The earthbender questioned.</p><p>"Because there is a danger looming on your world. And only you can rise up to defeat what is coming." Clay felt a trickle of sweat run down his face. The voice sounded extremely ominous, but it was obvious that it was telling the truth. The dirty-blonde man sighed.</p><p>"My whole life," Clay said, his voice slightly hoarse from all the shouting earlier. "I've wanted to find my purpose. I always knew it wasn't to be a stonemason, like what my father wants. Every time he'd ask me what I envisioned, what I wanted for my future, I couldn't answer." His fingers brushed the grass absentmindedly. "I wonder if that's because, deep down, I was waiting for an opportunity like this." He chuckled, albeit a bit bitterly. His gaze grew more determined, and he raised his head to the fountain. Now it was just stone, an empty fountain without a purpose. Clay instantly recognized it as himself, someone with unlimited potential to become as powerful as what that fountain was just moments prior.</p><p>"I'll do it, then. If the world needs an Avatar, I'll give it an Avatar." He sounded a lot more confident then he felt. "So, where do I beg—"</p><p>Suddenly, everything switched to pure black.</p><p>....</p><p>Clay was in an open grass field again, identical to before, and yet so much more real. He was laying down, a thin line of drool on his cheek and his body hurting all over. With a groan, Clay sat up. Every muscle ached, like he had just gotten beaten up by an angry mob.</p><p>"Ughh... It really was just some stupid dream." He murmured to himself, looking around. It was morning time. Had he really gone off and slept in some random field for the entire night? Stretching, Clay reached up to ruffle his hair, filled with pieces of grass and dirt. He paused. Something was already in his palm. Clay looked down with tired, half-awake eyes, at the rainbow-petaled flower which he held.</p><p>For a moment, he was in a state of quiet confusion, and then the realization dawned on him. </p><p>"...What the fuck."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you for reading! let me know your thoughts and hopes! also im not great at editing so please excuse any mistakes. &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Flower</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clay gathers his thoughts, meets an old friend, and hopes.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>y'all i just figured out how to italicize on here HAHA IVE GONE MAD WITH POWER</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clay stared down at the flower. Logically, if this was really here, then everything that had just happened.... <em>actually just happened. </em></p><p>He slowly brings his hands to his face, cupping them over his sore eyes. Sore from crying yesterday, sore from his restless sleep, sore from the bright-ass colors of the flower petals.</p><p>"What the fuck did I just commit to?" Clay groaned out, his voice raspy. His appearance must've been even more disheveled. He didn't want to know.</p><p>It took a couple minutes of silent thought—as well as trying to resist the intense urge to just go back to sleep on the dirt—for Clay to muster up the will to stand up. To muster up the courage, actually. Clay figured that his father would be profusely agitated at his storming out, as well as his disappearance. It would be an extremely unfortunate encounter, to put it lightly, if Clay had to explain to his father how he ran miles away from the village and then took a nap in the middle of some wheat field.</p><p>For a second, Clay wondered if his father was worried at all, if he even <em>cared.</em> Perhaps it was his dream come true, to watch his failure-of-a-son run away and not return. It would solve a few of his family's burdens, that's for sure. The earthbender stopped his train of thought when his eyes fell to the flower again. He had to prioritize. He knew that, although he had his own personal trials, he now had a much bigger burden on his plate.</p><p>He could shoulder the feelings of hurt, of frustration, of pain from being unable to please his parents... Because none of that mattered anymore. <em>There was now something much larger at hand. </em>Out there, a force more dangerous than his father's disappointed stare, or even the possibility of disownment, was lurking. And.. this little flower was Clay's proof. He was an Avatar, whatever that truly was, and this little flower solidified that fact.</p><p>The world's delicate era of peace was soon to be destroyed, unless he could rise up and defeat... whoever his enemy was.</p><p>Albeit a little late, Clay realized a very important thing: This was going to be a lot harder than it sounded. And it had already sounded pretty hard.</p><p>He had barely any information to work with—not on his own abilities, on the pure benders he was told to seek out or on how to find them—not even on why he had to do all this in the first place, on who he was up against! A sliver of uncertainty in the dirty-blonde male's heart quivered, and it grew fast. 

</p><p>Why'd he agree to this? How could he ever fulfill such a tremendous responsibility? The disembodied voice from his dream had barely told him anything at all. Granted, Clay wasn't in the right mind to ask for all the specifics due to the swirling forces of nature scaring the wits off him, but agreeing to be the Avatar was still quite an impulsive decision on his part.</p><p>The earthbender screwed his eyes shut, thinking deeply. A habit he'd developed since he was very young, Clay found himself lightly dragging his feet across the ground. When troubled, the man found comfort in grounding himself, feeling the way bits of earth rolled under the soles of his feet, how the dirt was packed in tightly and relented against his touch. It was a small but calming ritual. With each brush of his feet, Clay found the tension in his mind grow a little softer, its edges becoming a little less sharp. He breathed in deeply, flexing his hands open and closed.</p><p>"What's done is done. I just have to keep moving." He opened his eyes, feeling successfully re-purposed. The freckled man turned towards the far-off village. "First step is to go home and hopefully work things out with dad. I'll decide what's next from there."</p><p>True to his word, Clay brushed what dirt he could from his clothes and headed back towards the village. He was in no hurry, partially due to his sub-par physical state as well as to buy himself time. How the hell would he explain any of this to his family, anyway? Forget facing his dad after what happened yesterday, all the Avatar business was totally out of his league. </p><p>Walking slowly as he pondered the best course of action, Clay let his eyes wander over the distant muddle of shapes which was his village. What was he hoping to gain by telling his family about his so-called 'destiny?' Acceptance? Understanding? Encouragement? </p><p>The stress began nipping at his brain again; like earlier, the earthbender found himself grinding his feet into the ground, this time particularly hard. Whilst his mother usually supported Clay in his decisions, his father never seemed to be satisfied. Through Peter's eyes, Clay was a lazy delinquent who avoided all forms of work and spent his days shriveling in the sun like an expired leaf, wasting his potential. Through most people's eyes the dirty-blonde was too childish, too energetic, too proud, with not enough passion or discipline. But none of that defined Clay. He was passionate, about many things, and he could discipline himself. The truth of the matter was that, above all, he was not as malleable as his name suggested. Unlike clay, Clay did not bend from the imposing desires of other people, nor would he ever. He could not be shaped by any one person, did not stretch or crumple or crack no matter how much pressure was applied. He was stronger than they thought, and right now he had to prove it. Whether they liked it or not, he had to do this.</p><p>For the second time that morning, Clay reassured himself of his purpose. He had to be the Avatar first, and Julie and Peter's son second.</p><p>About half an hour of mindless walking had passed, and Clay now found himself toeing the outskirts of the village. He took a deep breath and moved forward. There were a few people out, mainly older earthbenders who worked about as much as they breathed and never seemed to be fully clean of dirt. These elder folks didn't pay Clay much mind asides from the occasional grunt of "good morning." Looking up at the position of the sun in the sky, Clay guessed that it was about 7 AM. It made sense that not many folks were busy. Earthbenders were not early-risers, their bodies durable and heavy and often difficult to rouse from sleep. At least that gave him a bit of solace as he swiftly made his way along the gravel path. There were birds noisily chirping from somewhere close by. Clay located the source of their melodic hums from atop a hay shed, and smiled faintly. Strangely, a song drifted from the depths of his memories. It was a nursery rhyme his mother used to sing to him when he was younger. When he was upset, for one reason or another, she'd scoop him up into her lap and run her hands through his hair until his distressed mumbling turned into gentle snores.</p><p>
  <em>"Oh birds in the sky, take flight, take flight,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The rain clouds are coming, take flight, take flight,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fly far and fly fast, through day and through night,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your song sends us joy, we know you're alright."</em>

</p><p> A monotone voice suddenly broke the earthbender free from his deep trance.</p><p>"I didn't take you for a morning person, Clay." The origin of the sound was a man, about the same height as Clay, with long pink hair tied into a single braid running along the length of his back. He wore a red vest with rather fine tailoring, a ruffled long-sleeve shirt, black fitted pants, and a yellow head scarf. Clay could recognize that bold style of clothing from anywhere. </p><p>"...Techno?" The man blinked, at first shocked. That surprise quickly turned into delight, and the two shared a quick but tight embrace. When he took a step back, Clay found himself smiling brightly. However, he was equally as curious as to why one of the village's best fighters was back in town rather than at his post, ready to defend the capital. "What brings you here all the way from Ba Sing Se? I thought you could only visit here in the winter?"</p><p>"Well, there's something particularly urgent I have to do." Techno replied, crossing his arms and looking a bit troubled. "I have important information for the Chief." </p><p>"Important information? Like what?" Clay asked, mirroring his old-friend's worried expression. </p><p>"It's a message straight from the Earth King. I'm not allowed to talk about it. Heck, I barely know anything in the first place." Techno patted his satchel, which Clay only just then noticed. The pink-haired male's eyes darted around, and he took a step closer. With a hushed voice, he told Clay, "All I know is that Ba Sing Se has sent approximately one soldier to every village in the Earth Kingdom with the task of delivering a special message to their respective Chiefs. I volunteered to come here and deliver it, cause the soldier quarters were gettin' stuffy." Clay's eyes narrowed as he studied Techno's bag, a flame of curiosity burning in his mind. </p><p>"What's the message they're all delivering?"</p><p>"I haven't read it. The general said it was strictly confidential." At the skeptical raise of Clay's eyebrow, Techno defended himself: "I'm not about to go disobey the freakin' Earth King for some boring letter." As an afterthought, the pink-haired male added, "No matter how much I hate monarchies."</p><p>"Wait... you said the Earth King wanted this message delivered to <em>every</em> village?" The dirty-blonde earthbender asked, hungry for more details.</p><p>"Yep. Big and small, no exceptions." Techno nodded, reciting his orders. "All letters need to be delivered in the next seven days."</p><p><em>"Seven?!"</em> Clay echoed, appalled. "But the Earth Kingdom is <em>huge!</em> Just how fast do they think you guys can travel?"</p><p>Techno shrugged, clearly less interested than Clay.</p><p>"Orders are orders."</p><p>Clay was silent for a few deliberative seconds. He wanted to contemplate more about this strange information, but he opted to push that urge to the back of his mind for now. Shaking his head of his burning curiosity, he spoke up quietly.</p><p>"Well, anyways...the chief should be in the Local Affairs office right now, I think. You should try looking for him there."</p><p>"Ah, thanks, Clay." Techno put a hand on his shoulder gratefully. "Also, it's good to see you again. You look like you just got back from a fight." He surveyed Clay's rumpled clothes and dirt-smeared skin. "Did you win?"</p><p>"Oh, haha..." Clay waved a hand dismissively. "No, I wasn't fighting. Just... y'know. Rolling in the dirt." The earthbender awkwardly joked, feeling his face warm up but refusing to break eye contact with Techno. The other man didn't look convinced, but he didn't question him further. Clay was grateful for that. Instead of continuing the topic, Techno reached out and squeezed the other earthbender's bicep. </p><p>"You definitely look like you've gotten stronger than before." Techno commented, nodding thoughtfully to himself.</p><p>At that, Clay grinned wide, a sliver of pride stoking his ego like a fire. Techno was correct; since the last time they'd met, the dirty-blonde had bulked up more. He had filled out his arms and learned new, modern fighting techniques. He felt quite confident in his sparring abilities, and eager to demonstrate his sharpened skills against Techno, who was the only opponent worthy enough for Clay to fight. Techno was the best in the village, and beating him in a match was sure to gain Clay a bit more of respect from the adults.</p><p>"Oh, I have. And I'm ready for a re-match anytime soon." He cracked his knuckles and added cheekily, "Ready to beat you, I mean." </p><p>Techno gave his own shit-eating grin at Clay's playful teasing.</p><p>"Bring it on, man." With a few more parting words and another hug goodbye, Clay parted from Techno. His house was not far, only a few more minutes worth of walking. He let himself dip back into his mind while he padded down the gravel road. It hadn't even been a full day since he was at his house, eating dinner with his family, and yet he felt as though he had been gone for a week. There was an odd sense of maturity that flowed through Clay, a feeling he usually didn't have when preparing to speak to his father.</p><p>Perhaps accepting the burden of being an Avatar had given Clay extra fighting spirit, or maybe a special pool of wisdom. Clay paused. He didn't feel much wiser today than he did yesterday. There were other notable differences in his emotions, however. He didn't feel anger when he recalled the things which his father had said to him yesterday, nor did he feel ashamed as he had before. Rather, Clay felt empowered. In perspective, being the Avatar really made all other problems seem trivial. </p><p>Clay's thoughts drifted to Techno and the secret so-called "important" information which he was bringing to the Chief. What business did the Earth King have with every single village? Why did he want the information to be delivered so quickly? Did this have anything to do with Clay, or was he unnecessarily poking his nose into unrelated matters? While he was quite curious about the strange letter, Clay once again shifted his attention to more relevant-topics. </p><p>For example, his family. Specifically, his father... who was currently blocking the front door and staring at Clay with a  <em>very</em> unhappy glint in his eyes.</p><p>In his pocket, the rainbow-petaled flower sat. Clay found his hand instinctively slipping into his pocket and grasping for it, hoping that it could get him through what was to come. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Muffin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clay does his best to explain things to his father, and a mysterious stranger shows up at the family doorstep.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Next thing he knew, Clay was standing in the kitchen with his father. 

</p><p>"I hope wherever you ran away to helped to clear your mind." Clay's father commented wryly. He was currently leaned against the counter, arms crossed. Clay mimicked his posture against the wall, a subtle but non-submissive stance. They were the only ones in the kitchen.</p><p>Clay took a deep breath. </p><p>"It did, actually." His passive response seemed to be the correct decision this time, as his father gave a deep exhale but did not explode into accusation and anger. Clay figured that his mother had rationalized with Peter, had done her part to cool him down while their son was out of the house. "Dad, there's a lot we need to talk about." His green eyes met his father's brown. "And while I'm willing to listen to you, you need to be willing to listen to me also." </p><p>Peter was silent for a few moments. And then he gave a small nod. </p><p>"All right." He said, his voice not giving much away. Although—his hands were gripping his white button-down rather tightly. "I'll hear it. But first," He gestured brazenly to Clay's physical state, "tell me why you look like you slept in the dirt all night."</p><p>Clay nearly snorted at the irony of his father's words. <em>Nearly.</em> </p><p>Forcing the sound down, the earthbender sheepishly brushed his shirt off, wincing when a shower of dust rained onto the kitchen floor. His father raised an eyebrow inquisitively, jaw firmly set. Maybe he was making a conscious effort to refrain from interrupting. Either way, Clay found Peter's efforts to listen slightly comforting. Clay cleared his throat. </p><p>"I did some running for awhile, and tripped a couple times. That's where the dirt came from." It wasn't a total lie, but Clay knew the truth would not help to back his case of being a responsible adult. "But while I was out, I..." Clay searched for the right words. "had some really important revelations." He became ultra-aware of the weight of the flower in his pocket.</p><p>His father's eyes narrowed.</p><p>"Revelations?"</p><p>"Yes. About who I am, and who I should be. Who I—" His voice cracked a bit, but he pushed on. "—who I want to be."</p><p>His father suddenly spoke up, surprising Clay with his next words.</p><p>"You don't want to be a stonemason." There were a few seconds of nervousness, of uncertainty, but ultimately Clay responded.</p><p>"Yes." More silence. The dirty-blonde had to force his eyes to stay still, to stop darting around.</p><p>"Why?" Peter asked, his voice quiet. Clay glanced up at him. His father's face looked less angry than expected, and more tired. There was a chance for meaningful communication here.</p><p>"I know you want a good life for me," The younger earthbender said in a serious tone. "but you never seem to take into account my feelings. You make choices on my behalf, without consulting me, and then become angry when I object." At this, Clay could see a small bit of emotion pass through his fathers eyes.</p><p>"It's just the most logical course for you. Clay, your earthbending skills are rival to Techno's. Maybe you don't want to be a stonemason, but there are plenty of other jobs in Ba Sing Se. You could make a decent living there and get a stable family..." Clay's eyebrows furrowed, and his head shook progressively quicker as his father spoke.</p><p>"No, no—" The dirty-blonde murmured, disappointed. "You're still not listening. I never wanted to go to Ba Sing Se. That was something you came up with." Peter looked confused and even a bit concerned. Clay continued. "Of course I want to make a living, but I'm nowhere near ready to settle down with a family. My first priority in life is to find something worthwhile for myself." </p><p>His father laughed dryly. He threw his hands up in exasperation, and Clay bristled. </p><p>"Do you even have an idea as to what you want, Clay?" </p><p>"Yes." Clay shot back, his voice a intense. "I do. I want to be the Avatar." The look on his father's face diminished his confidence. His father looked at him like he had said something absurd. Clay reckoned he had. </p><p>"The what?" Peter's voice was harsh and judging. "The Avatar? What kind of nonsense is that? What kind of job is an Avatar?" He took a step closer to Clay, and his son narrowed his eyes in defense.</p><p>"Something you're probably not going to understand," Clay replied breezily, trying to keep his calm, "but you're gonna have to deal with." He did not take a step back. Now that both stubborn males were closer, Clay realized that he was actually the same height as his father. Never before had he stood so close to realize it, but his father wasn't looking down on him. Couldn't look down on him. In that kitchen stood two headstrong earthbenders with equal footing. </p><p>"Clay, what are you talking about? I've never heard of this job before in my life. You have never once mentioned it." Peter muttered, a sharpness to his tone. Clay refused to let it cut him. "What the hell is an Avatar? Some sort of entertainer? Does this have to do with the black market?"</p><p>"What? No!" The younger earthbender exclaimed. "It's like a guardian, dad." Clay explained, trying his best to seem unbothered. "Its someone who protects the world." Seeing his father's growing agitation at the unfamiliar topic, the earthbender continued. "I know this sounds crazy to you...but I think I'm more than just an earthbender." </p><p>"That does sound crazy to me." Peter nodded. "I would love an <em>actual explanation,</em> son." He sneered. </p><p>"What I mean is, I can bend more than just earth. An Avatar is a person who can bend all four elements. Yesterday, there—I had this dream, okay? This dream where a voice spoke to me, and-and it told me I had to step up and train to be an Avatar because there are dark times coming, dad." Clay kept unconsciously clenching and unclenching his fists. </p><p>"Alright, alright. I see what's going on here." Peter nodded, lips tight. Clay raised his eyebrows incredulously. "Frankly, I think you're making ridiculous stories up so that you can avoid a life of commitment. You're scared, and it's alright to be. There's no need to go this far." Clay's heart sank. </p><p>"What?! I'm telling the truth!" The younger male protested, face red. "That's the dumbest explanation you could have come up with!" </p><p>"Then by all means, prove me wrong." His father gestured to the table. On it stood a glass of water. </p><p>"...Huh?" Clay whispered. </p><p>"If you think you're an," His father gave an amused chuckle. <em>"Avatar,</em> then bend this water right here. Right now." </p><p>Clay's eyes drifted to the table. The glass was half full of the clear, cool water. The morning's youthful rays of light danced from the window and into the glass, causing the liquid to shimmer pleasantly. It wasn't as pleasant now that Clay realized he had to somehow bend water with absolutely zero minutes of training under his belt. He sighed, already knowing his next words would hurt his case. </p><p>"I... I don't know if I can right now. I'm not a full Avatar yet. Part of my role is to be taught how to bend each element..." Clay trailed off at his father's belittling laughter. He felt a rush of anger at the pure invalidation. Peter was supposed to be understanding, to listen and believe and help his son. "Will you <em>STOP</em> treating me like I'm some joke?!" Clay's voice cracked with raw emotion, his voice echoing throughout the kitchen. Peter's laughed died off, and he stood up straighter. Clay knew that raising his voice came off as a challenge to his father's authority. He didn't care enough to watch his volume. All he wanted was some empathy from his father. And so far he hadn't gotten a smidgen.</p><p>"Because, Clay." Peter hissed. "You haven't given any proof to me. How am I supposed to believe you when you don't even look like you believe yourself?"</p><p>At that, the younger earthbender went silent. Clay's eyes fell to floor for the first time since their discussion began. They skimmed along the tiles, up the side of the table, and finally landed on the glass of water.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, Clay stepped over to the water.</p><p>"Fine then." He whispered, extending a hand over the glass. "I will prove it." </p><p>Nothing happened at first. His hand was perched awkwardly over the liquid, tense and unmoving. Clay shut his eyes tightly. </p><p><em>Move,</em> He willed the water, <em>please move. </em></p><p>A few more seconds of silence passed. Clay focused even harder on the water. </p><p>
  <em>Move, move, move. Damnit, move.</em>
</p><p>His eyelids were beginning to hurt from the pressure. Clay cracked one eye open to see that the water had not budged an inch. Not one drop was out of place. He looked up to his father, who was watching him with a mixture of smugness and downright pity. </p><p>Clay screwed his eyes shut again. </p><p><em>Fuck,</em> He thought to himself. <em>Please, water. Just move.</em></p><p> Clay didn't realize he was holding his breath until his father startled him from his intensity with a heavy hand on his shoulder. </p><p>"It's alright, son." Peter murmured. "I know the truth." </p><p>Clay gave him a look of horror.</p><p>"No, no. I swear, I did it last night, i-in my dream—"</p><p>"In your dream? Clay." His father gave him a look, as if scolding a child, as if saying <em>'you should know better.'</em> Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door, and Peter gave his son one last look before moving away. The younger earthbender didn't move to stop him. He didn't know what to do at all. How was he supposed to convince his family he was the Avatar if he couldn't even bend the other elements a little?</p><p>He reached into his pocket and pulled out the rainbow-colored flower.</p><p>"It isn't a lie. I will convince you." His fingers wrapped tightly around the stem of the plant. Clay could hear the faint voices of his father and whoever was at the door, but he was too preoccupied with the water in front of him. Once again, Clay raised his hand over the glass. This time, he'd do it.</p><p>
  <em>Move. Slosh. Tip over. Anything. Please.</em>
</p><p>His eyes closed, Clay tried to focus all of his energy into the water before him, willing it to follow his command. 

</p><p>There were two simultaneous sounds in front of him and from somewhere behind him. The man cracked an eye open, registering the fact that there was a splash of water on the table beside the glass. He stood up straighter, eyes widening. There were footsteps behind him. 

</p><p>"I-I did it! Haha!" He laughed triumphantly. "Dad, I—" Clay whirled around in excitement and pride to show his dad what he'd done, but stopped when he noticed a third male in the kitchen. His eyes were instantly drawn to the stranger, someone clad head to toe in black. The only color besides black on them was the red stripes running down their coat, like trails of lava on the face of an ash-smeared volcano. They wore a leather belt around their waist, holding a collection of small knives, and a checkered scarf. Their face was obscured by a large dark hood, and Clay took a step back in distrust. His father stood behind the stranger, eyes wide and darting from the mysterious stranger to Clay. 

</p><p>"Clay... He said he knows you." Peter explained, still looking unnerved. "Is...is that true?" The younger earthbender shook his head. Why had he let this dodgy guy inside? 

</p><p>"I've never seen you before in my life. Who are you?" Clay spoke up, narrowing his eyes. 

</p><p>"That's fair." The stranger replied, in a strangely cheerful and high-pitched voice. With one swift movement, they knocked the hood from their head. As if removing a spell, the dark fog obscuring their face vanished. Clay took in the other male's face. He was pale, with hazel colored hair and striking bright green eyes. He wore glasses. For some reason, seeing the other's face made Clay feel a bit more at ease. Perhaps because his face and voice did not seem to match his threatening apparel. The earthbender could barely spot the tip of a light blue tattoo peeking out from under the male's bangs. "My name is Darryl. But my friends usually call me Bad." He stepped forwards and jut his hand out. 

</p><p>Clay merely looked at it for a second. Darryl wore black fingerless gloves. His hands looked soft, nails clean and well-kempt. 

</p><p>"Clay." The dirty-blonde male shook his hand. At his words, Darryl seemed to light up. He smiled happily.

</p><p>"Yes!" He shook Clay's hand eagerly, giggling a bit. "It's good to finally meet you!" 

</p><p>"Um." Clay blinked, now more confused than wary. "What?" 

</p><p>"As you can tell," Darryl let go of his hand and used it to brush up his bangs, revealing more of his forehead tattoo. It was an arrow. "I'm an airbender." Clay's eyebrows shot up. He had never met an airbender before. The village did not have much diversity when it came to benders. 

</p><p>"Yeah... so...?" Clay smiled weakly, almost wincing at his bluntness. Darryl didn't seem to mind his awkwardness. 
 
</p><p>"I'm a air nomad, to be more precise. I was traveling to a southern earth village to get some cabbages for Muffin yesterday night, when I had a very peculiar dream." 

</p><p>Instantly, all of Clay's attention was on the airbender. 

</p><p>"A dream?" He repeated, a feeling of hope rising in his chest. Could this be...? 

</p><p>"Yes. I was told to find an earthbender by the name of Clay Stronghold, and to guide him on his quest." 

</p><p>"My quest to..." Clay whispered breathlessly, complete shock coursing through his veins. His father looked even more flabbergasted. 

</p><p>"To find the other Pure Benders, of course." Darryl finished, grinning proudly. "And I'm your first bridge. I'm supposed to teach you airbending." 

</p><p>"You are?" Clay repeated, running a hand through his hair. "How did you... What made..." Words failed him.

</p><p>Darryl chuckled at his mental short-circuit, crossing his arms.

</p><p>"I mean, you are the right Clay Stronghold, right? You have the rainbow flower?"

</p><p>For a second, the earthbender could only stare. Then when the words registered in his mind, he moved. Wordlessly, Clay retrieved the flower from his pocket and lifted it up for the airbender to see. Darryl whistled at the sight and nodded once more. 

</p><p>"Yup, that proves it." He reached out and touched the flower with his finger. As soon as the airbender's skin came into contact with the plant, the petals burst into light. Clay flinched back at the sudden brightness. 

</p><p>"What was <em>that?!"</em> The dirty-blonde male cried out. Darryl gave him a strange look.

</p><p>"Um, it's your purity scanner? It glows super bright when a Pure Bender touches it. Silly muffin, weren't you told this in your dream? It's how you're supposed to identify your bridges." Darryl stated matter-of-factly. The strange nickname did not go unheard by Clay.

</p><p>"Muffin? Wait—no, I—I was never told about any of that!" He looked down at the flower in his hand with a bit of saltiness. "I was told very little in my dream, actually. Stuff like this would've been nice to know." 

</p><p>"Oh, huh. That's weird." Darryl tilted his head in thought, but quickly moved on. "Well, no matter. You should probably say your goodbyes and gather your necessities. We can begin your journey whenever you're ready, Avatar Clay." Clay felt his face flush at the title. Noticing the change, the airbender paused. "Oh, is it alright if I call you that?" 

</p><p>"I—um, yeah." Clay's face broke into a sheepish grin. His eyes couldn't help but dart over to Peter. "That's—that's fine." 

</p><p>The expression on his father's face was priceless.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fly</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Darryl, insisting on the nickname of "Bad", helps Clay to begin his journey.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ugh yeah yall I was like constipated but with words okay... please dont be mad </p><p>Happy New Year!!!!! Thanks for reading this far, I've been so grateful for all the kudos and comments. I love to hear what you guys have to say, or about any theories yall are beginning to develop! I'm so thankful our love for all the MCYT's bonds us strangers together in such unique ways!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The best way to plainly describe Peter's expression would be... a flutter, of different emotions. There was utter shock, disbelief, and a bit of distrust—but some of the negativity had evaporated into curiosity. Clay glanced between Darryl and his father. He wondered who would be the first to cut through the net of silence they had been weaving for the past three minutes. </p><p>Surprisingly, it was Darryl. </p><p>"You look surprised..." The pale man began, face thoughtful. "Did you not know about Clay?" </p><p>"Not until..." Peter began, but then shook his head and sighed. Once again, the progress they'd made was reversed. "This is all just some big joke." He was always so distrustful, always so disappointed, always looking to argue. Always at Clay. "I mean<em>—you?" </em> </p><p>Clay's eyes widened, eyebrows furrowing in offense. Before he could respond, Darryl put a hand on his shoulder. The air bender was a bit shorter than him, so it was a bit awkward, but his grip was surprisingly firm. </p><p>"With all due respect sir, it doesn't seem to me like you have much faith in your son. I think you should try believing in him before shutting him down." It was a suggestion dripping with honesty yet carrying an undertone of force. </p><p>Peter went silent, lips thin, and then he said,</p><p>"I would believe you if you had any sort of proof. You're painting me to be the bad guy here, when you came to me with an unbelievable story. What kind of fool would blindly trust that?" His father's explanation was logical enough, but it lacked the empathy which Clay craved. For years, he'd lacked several things which Clay desperately desired in a father. "Why do you look so surprised?"</p><p>The younger earthbender put his hands up, chuckling bitterly. </p><p>"You know what? I'm done arguing with you. I think even if I started bending the other elements right here, right now, you <em>still</em> wouldn't believe me." Clay took a step towards his father. "I'm doing this, whether you want to believe in me or to stay in this kitchen whining about a decision that isn't yours to make." This time, Clay didn't pause to examine Peter's reaction. Instead, he turned and walked to his room. Darryl followed silently, still managing a curt nod towards Peter.</p><p>"Where are you going?" Peter demands. </p><p>"To my room, to pack up my shit." Clay grits out over his shoulder. He hurries to his room and grabs the biggest basket he can find, throwing clothes and other items inside.</p><p>Darryl stood awkwardly at the doorframe, giving a quiet piece of advice. </p><p>"You should pack only the bare necessities..." Clay nodded, but didn't seem to actually register his words. The basket was filled rather quickly, and the airbender eyed it with concern. A bit too quickly, Clay stood up and reached for something on his dresser. His elbow brushed against a candle and knocked it to the floor, shattering instantly into several pieces of glass. Darryl gasped at the noise. Shards scattered all over the floor. Clay stood as still as a statue for a moment, and then sank slowly to the ground. It looked like the wick of a burning candle, gradually curling in on itself over time. Darryl frowned.</p><p>"Clay." </p><p> Clay looked up at him, eyes crinkled with frustration.</p><p>Darryl's voice and the sound of broken glass seemed to bring his entire mind to a halt. There was a blankness behind his eyes, as if a wall had been built there to block the tidal wave of emotions within. Gently, Darryl shut the door to Clay's bedroom. The room itself was pretty simple; a semi-bare floor, wooden drawers and a writing desk, and a dark green bed. On the far side of the room, above a small window, stood a shelf of hand-made pottery. There were bowls, vases, and even a carefully-crafted stone sword. It was a room which spoke of any average young earthbender. </p><p>Ironic how his room looked like this, yet Clay wasn't average at all. It didn't reflect him, Darryl realized. Perhaps his overbearing father had something to do with that.</p><p> The earthbender looked small on the floor, hunched over a wicker basket. Feeling the sight tug on his heart, the airbender knelt down to his eye-level. </p><p>"I can tell this is hard for you." Darryl began, speaking in a quiet manner. Clay's eyes filtered over the way the airbender's fingers grasped nervously at his own black cloak. "When I had that dream, at first I felt super overwhelmed. Of course I come from a different situation then yours, but when any person is suddenly faced with a life-changing choice..." His index finger shifted to draw tiny, sloppy circles over the floor. Clay's eyes followed them. "they are bound to feel the stress of it in some way." The earthbender's eyes rose to the other man's face. His sea-foam green eyes were soft with empathy, and his eyebrows pushed together in understanding. "That's why you need other people in your life, to listen and to help take that stress away. That's why, as soon as I thought about how there was a guy out there who was just told he had to be an Avatar, protector of the world, and to leave his home behind... I decided I would go, to make sure that guy had at least one friend on his journey." Darryl's lips quirked up a bit in a reassuring smile, and Clay felt a wave of gratitude swell up within him. His eyes watered a bit, but he knew Darryl wouldn't judge him. </p><p>Clay smiled back, wiping his eyes.</p><p>"That's really nice of you..." He sniffled, trying to think of the last time someone had promised to have his back, to be a friend he could trust. "Thanks, Darryl." </p><p>"You can call me Bad, if that's cool." Darryl stood up, a light blush resting on his cheeks. "It's a kinda embarrassing nickname, but, it's what my friends usually call me." He fidgeted with his cloak sleeves again, his previous seriousness cooling off into what Clay came to recognize as his natural light-hearted aura. </p><p> Clay nodded, wondering why Darryl had such a strange nickname, but choosing to not ask. Instead, he followed Bad's instructions on packing, which resulted in one leather satchel with two full sets of clothes, a water carrier, and a toothbrush. Clay made a face at the measly luggage, but Bad insisted,</p><p>"This will be all you need from here. Anything else will just drag you down." Upon seeing the lingering uncertainty on Clay's face, the airbender added, "I've been a wandering nomad for almost five years. I promise I know what I'm talking about." The earthbender gave in with a sigh, settling with the ultimatum. This was only the first sacrifice he'd have to make as the Avatar, the man resolved somberly. </p><p>"So, you—" Before Clay could finish his question, the door to his room burst open. A young girl with bright blond braids stood in the doorframe, eyes bright.</p><p>"CLAY!" Annabelle practically screamed, rushing up to her older brother. "You will <em>not</em> believe the trap I just laid! Last—" As she noticed the presence of another man in the room, the young girl cut her excited chatter off abruptly. Growing uncharacteristically shy, she took a step closer to her brother, her face displaying discomfort and confusion. "Clay...who's that?" Clay put a hand on her head, ruffling her hair affectionately.</p><p>"Don't worry, he's my friend, Darryl." Annabelle still didn't let go of his arm. Clay tried again, "You know, he's an airben—" </p><p>Before he could even finish his sentence, Annabelle had launched herself across the room and towards Bad, greatly startling the poor man.</p><p>"You're an <em>airbender?!</em>" The young earthbender's eyes bore into his arrow tattoo with unconcealed awe. "That is SO cool! I've never met an airbender before! Y'know, here, it's just earthbenders. Pretty much." She thought for a moment. "Well, down the street there is an old guy who I suspect is an ex-firebender soldier, but that's just a theory." Bad offered her a small smile, but it looked more like a grimace than a grin. "Do earthbenders really eat grass? Were you raised by monks? Are men and women airbenders separated into different villages, or is that—"</p><p>Although it was amusing to watch his younger sister ramble on, Clay interjected,</p><p>"Anna, come on now. You're scaring him." He chuckled. Annabelle quieted instantly, and backed away from Bad with a sheepish grin.</p><p>"I'm not scared..." Bad defended himself, "I was just surprised for a sec. That's all." Despite his words, he looked relieved that Clay had called off his talkative sibling. "But what were those questions anyways? Of course I don't eat grass!" Annabelle laughed at that, and Clay found himself smiling at the sound. Right after, however, he felt a wave of icy-realization. </p><p>Being the Avatar meant he had to leave Annabelle. His sweet little sister, who he'd play rock games with every other day, give up the best parts of his dessert to, and sat for hours listening to her stories and recollections. There was never a day where Clay wouldn't do anything to make Annabelle happy, because her smile was one of the only things which had kept him going the past few years. Clay observed silently as his little sister continued prodding Bad with her curiosity. </p><p>He loved her so much, and he despised the idea of leaving her alone and defenseless. Despite the fearful nagging of his anxiety, Clay knew very well that Annabelle was not weak. She was accustomed to wrestling with people three times her own weight and strength, and Clay had taught her many useful tricks and techniques which he himself had picked up from fighting Techno. Furthermore, Annabelle was a fiery girl and was not one to let others walk over her. But still. The idea of not being able to protect her at all, miles away, with barely any communication... </p><p> "What's wrong, Clay...?" Annabelle's voice sounded from directly in front of Clay, ripping him from his thoughts. "You look kinda sad." He swallowed the saliva in his throat, knowing and hating and worrying about the future. The male earthbender sat down on his bed, his sister following suit, her eager eyes trained on him. She'd always had curious eyes, always had questions, always wanted to know about things. Clay wished he didn't have to give her the truth. </p><p>"Anna, I have to go. Soon." Clay explained carefully, his voice sounding meek even to his own ears. He turned to make eye-contact with Annabelle. He could see the beginning swirl of dread in her eyes already. "See, recently... I was chosen to be the Avatar." The confusion in her eyes grew, Clay's efforts to redirect her attention having only brought more trouble. </p><p>"I don't know..." Annabelle whispered, shaking her head lightly. One of her braids slid precariously over her shoulder, the end of it trailing down the side of her arm. "What?" </p><p>"I have an important job to do, as the Avatar. I need to go on a journey across the world to learn how to bend air, fire, and water." The bewilderment in his sister's eyes may have been amusing to him had the situation been different. Now it only made the moment harder for him. "I know it sounds crazy, but there are greater forces at work here. Something powerful, this mysterious magical being, reached out to me in a dream. It told me that the world needs its guardian, <em>its Avatar,</em> right now." </p><p>"A dream? Clay—" Annabelle began, her voice dripping with disbelief, but Clay didn't falter. He continued explaining, praying that she'd just... trust him. </p><p>"I know it sounds hard to believe, but I got this," He stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out the rainbow-petaled flower. Annabelle's eyes widened, her jaw falling open. "I know for a fact you've never seen this type of flower before. Whatever it is, it's not native to the Earth Kingdom. But, more than that..." Clay stood from the bed and walked over to Bad, gently pulling his arm up. Understanding immediately, Bad shifted his black sleeve up, allowing Clay to touch the flower to his exposed forearm. Just like before, as soon as the plant connected with the airbender's skin, it shone like a beacon of colors. Still glued to the bed, Annabelle gasped. After a few seconds of letting the powerful light paint the room with energy, Clay pulled the flower away and held it up for Annabelle to see. </p><p>"This flower is proof that my dream wasn't just a figment of my imagination." Annabelle hesitantly rose from the bed, but didn't move to approach them. Clay continued explaining. "It traveled from my dream into the real world, because its supposed to help guide me to find the people I need on my quest to become a full Avatar." His little sister then walked slowly over to him, drawn in by the the colorful flower. She was silent for awhile, her lips pursued in deep thought. Clay himself couldn't think of what else to say. He wanted her to know enough to understand his situation, but at the same time didn't want to overload her with information. Mildly startling both the Stronghold siblings, Bad spoke up. </p><p>"He's telling the truth. I had a similar dream." Bad's hands were clasped together, a bit tight with nervousness. Clay once again felt grateful for his presence. "That's why I came here. Our world is in danger, and Clay's the only person who can keep the peace." </p><p>Annabelle looked from Clay, to the flower, to Bad, and then repeated the process a few times. The gears in her head were turning so fast Clay swore he saw smoke drifting from her ears. Gradually, a minuscule smile graced her lips, as if her face was still deciding on whether to commit to a full grin or not.</p><p>"So... you're gonna learn to bend the other elements?" </p><p>"Yeah." Clay nodded, unsure of what else to reply with. Annabelle's smile grew bigger, blooming fully, and her hands shot out to clasp Clay's shoulders. She jumped up and down excitedly, shaking her older brother with her energetic movements.</p><p>"This is so <em>great!"</em></p><p> Clay's eyebrows jumped to the top of his forehead, surprised at her sudden shift in attitude. </p><p>"I... guess you could say that." He exchanged a look with Bad, who looked just as taken aback as himself. "But, I mean, you do realize that this means I have to leave home for who knows how long? It could be months." Bad's face revealed that Clay's words were a best-case scenario. </p><p>Annabelle's face fell again, but not for long. </p><p>"Well, that's to be expected of the hero." She flexed her arms with confidence and bravado. "We just gotta do it, Clay. When the world needs saving, ya just can't ignore it! When are we leaving?" Her eyes were sparkling with anticipation, with joy and excitement, and Clay hated that he had to continue to wipe her hopes away. </p><p>"No." Clay shakes his head, putting a hand on Annabelle's shoulder. "Not you." Her eyebrows furrowed, but before she could object he added, "This will be too dangerous for you. You're only fourteen, you're still in school—I can't let you come along."</p><p>"But... I'm tough, Clay." Annabelle's shoulders drooped. Clay wrapped his arms around her, feeling more emotions well up within him.</p><p>"You are," He agrees, "but I want you to be safe here at home. You don't have as much experience as I do."</p><p>"But—" She tried, her voice muffled by Clay's chest,</p><p>"Have you heard that Techno's in town?" The earthbender interrupted, a small smile on his lips.</p><p>"Really?" The small girl sniffled, looking up from Clay's chest. "He's here?" </p><p>"Yup." Clay chirped, pulling away from the girl. "I don't know how long, but I think you could manage to make him stay longer. You're good at annoying people." He chuckled, knowing his words were not actually intended as insults, but more so to brighten the mood. It had worked, somewhat. Annabelle had perked up, although not quite as much as Clay had hoped. Still, he felt relieved. If he had seen his little sister's sad eyes for any longer, he too would have begun crying. And the earthbender had cried enough the past day to last him several months.</p><p>Annabelle chuckled, her characteristic mischievousness melting into her voice.</p><p>"I am great at annoying people." She nodded, and then grabbed Clay's hand. "But don't think you can so easily distract me." He sighed deeply. "I understand, though." </p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah." Annabelle repeated. "Even if I can't go, I can still send you off with luck, right?" Without waiting for a reply, the blonde girl turned and left the room. After a minute or two, she returned, Clay peering curiously at a shiny object in her hand. It was a small, black, circular earring. </p><p>"But this is your favorite!" Clay shook his head, not wanting to take away such an important accessory, but Annabelle pushed herself up to her tippy-toes and wordlessly clipped the earring onto his right ear. Clay lifted a hand to run his thumb over the shiny object, but didn't remove it. Years ago, on Annabelle's ninth birthday, the girl had convinced their parents to allow her to get her ears pierced. At the last minute, she started to back out from fear, but Clay offered to do it with her. She became more excited for him than afraid for herself, and later that evening both siblings were proudly trying on their first pairs of earrings. Their parents were none-too-happy about Clay's impromptu decision, but it was already irreversible, so there wasn't much they could do besides restrict Clay from wearing earrings from then on. Now that he'd be on his own, it didn't matter if he wore earrings or not. Clay liked the freedom, felt glad that there was at least one thing to look forward to by leaving home.</p><p>"It looks cool." Annabelle commented, backing away to look at her older brother and attaching the other black earring to her left ear. "Now we both have one. So no matter how far away we are, we have little pieces of eachother." Clay chuckled with tenderness, and wrapped his sister into another tight embrace. He looked to Bad, knowing his time was running out. The airbender smiled bittersweetly, and Clay pressed a kiss to the top of Annabelle's blonde head. She sniffled, but didn't cry as Clay scooped the satchel up from the floor and slid it on. A crunch of glass under his boot made him flinch, and then he remembered the candle he had shattered earlier.</p><p>"Oh, let me clean up this mess for ya." Bad offered kindly, sweeping his hand over the air. Clay's hair rustled lightly from a small breeze which seemed to stir from the airbender's energy itself. Annabelle watched with interest as the shards of glass inched across the floor, slowly gathering up into one pile. Then, with a more controlled flick of his wrist, the glass shards were flung upwards. Bad grabbed an idle cup on the dresser and held it out skillfully as it caught the falling glass. Annabelle's eyes were comically huge, shining with wonder. </p><p>"Wooahhh," She gaped. "that was so fucking cool." Clay instantly broke into a wheeze as Bad fumbled with the cup, practically slamming it onto the dresser.</p><p>
  <em>"L-LANGUAGE!" </em>
</p><p>______________________</p><p>Clay stood in the living room with Bad and Annabelle, right before the front door. The moment he stepped outside, he knew his journey would begin. A journey he knew basically nothing about, full of perils and unknowns and definite obstacles. Clay glanced at Bad. The airbender was looking right back at him, his sea-foam green eyes sturdy with support and confidence. That's right. He wouldn't be alone, no matter what. He knew he'd have at least one friend, and Clay was content with that miraculous blessing. </p><p>Bad looked out the window, frowning. </p><p>"Hmm..." He crossed his arms. "Muffin's a little late." Clay raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>Just as the earthbender spoke—as if in response—a huge shadow passed over the windows. It was big enough to momentarily drown the entire living room in darkness. There was a loud thud outside, the sound of something enormously heavy hitting the ground just outside the house. Clay gasped and took a protective step towards Annabelle, only for Bad to wave his hand dismissively. The hazel-haired man grinned, looking between the two siblings, and promptly opened the door. </p><p>"This," Bad gestured outside, "is Muffin." </p><p>Clay followed the airbender outside. He raised a hand to his eyes to block out the incoming rays of sunlight, but was surprised to find that the front of the house was bathed in shade. His eyes trailed further forward, instantly locating what was blocking the sun. It was <em>ginormous,</em> like no creature Clay had ever seen before. It took up the entire space between the Stronghold's house and their vertical neighbors, and was covered with thick, beige fur. The creature had six legs, three on each side, and a flat protruding tail which extended several feet behind it, almost as wide as the gravel road itself. On its head was a large arrow, accented in darker fur, and two long horns. The animal turned its head to look towards the three benders and let out a loud noise, a low grumble which appeared to be a greeting of some kind. Clay's eyes were shot with shock, enraptured with fascination. Annabelle's face wasn't much different. Bad strolled up to the beast leisurely, laughing at the earthbenders' expressions. </p><p>"This is Muffin, my flying bison." He rubbed his hands along Muffin's chin, scratching and earning a big, affectionate lick. Bad turned back towards Clay and his sister, still rooted to the front porch. "Come pet her! I promise she doesn't bite." Clay was snapped from his stupor when Annabelle nudged him with her elbow. Together, the siblings approached the furry giant, hesitant but eager at the same time.</p><p>Annabelle was the first sibling to touch Muffin. Her small hand brushed lightly against the side of the flying bison's cheek, and then dropped to scratch experimentally under her chin, just like what Bad had done. The creature rumbled with appreciation, akin to a super-sized purr, and nudged Annabelle with her face. The girl burst into happy giggles.</p><p>"Aww," She cooed. "she's so sweet!" Bad nodded proudly, turning to Clay. The male earthbender met his expectant gaze, feeling nervous. Clay never really liked big animals, was always over-cautious of their power. If Muffin wanted to, Clay had no doubt she could crush him to dust under her several large paws. He looked back towards Bad, grimacing. </p><p>Bad crossed his fingers together.</p><p>"I promise that she won't hurt you. Muffin can sense positive-spirited people, so as long as you have good energy around her, she'll have good energy around you." As if understanding the airbender (perhaps she could), Muffin made a small noise and jerked her head towards Clay. "Besides," Bad continued on matter-of-factly, "Muffin is my personal chauffeur, and as of today yours too. You gotta make friends with her if you ever hope to ride her." He gestured to the flying bison's back, and Clay finally noticed the large saddle. It spread over most of her back, curved up along the ends so as to provide security for passengers. The earthbender sighed, nodding. He stepped up to Muffins face, looking into her big, black eyes. They stared back at him, showing nothing but his own reflection. He raised a hand and dropped it between Muffin's eyes, pausing just before he made contact with her fur. Summoning more courage, he fully lowered it and watched as the flying bison's eyes slid closed. Clay rubbed his hand from side to side, letting out a sigh of relief and allowing a smile to appear on his face. </p><p>Bad literally squealed with joy.</p><p>"Look at that! She likes you!" He jumped up and down with excitement, a sort of child-like joy emitting from him. "This is great!" </p><p>"Yeah." Clay agreed, his eyes soft as he continued petting Muffin. It was then that he realized Muffin's presence had drawn in a bit of a crowd. Further down the street, earthbenders of the village gathered to stare in awe at the unfamiliar sight. Bad took note of the bystanders, quickly raising his hood over his face. Instantly, a dark fog obscured his face completely, hiding all of his features. Clay stepped closer to the airbender, letting Annabelle continue to pepper Muffin with praise and affection.</p><p>"What's up with your hood?" He asked, unintentionally lowering his voice despite the question having no real danger. Without seeing Bad's face, it was hard to tell exactly what expression he was making, but his body language told Clay that he was nervous.</p><p>"It's enchanted." He replied, tugging on the black hood. "I just don't like showing my face to strangers." </p><p>Before Clay could say another word, a new voice spoke from the front porch.</p><p>"Clay?" Said-earthbender's head whipped to the side. It was his mother.</p><p>"Mom..." Clay said, meeting his mother half-way. His throat closed up, unsure of what to say. Behind his mother, Peter had appeared. Clay's expression hardened, until he caught sight of his mother's eyes up close. She looked... regretful? "I can—I can explain everything." </p><p>"My son." She raised a hand to his cheek, and he instinctively tilted his head into her palm. Her hand was cold, but comforting. Calloused from forming thousands of pottery, yet smooth like a stone shaved by a river. Clay searched her eyes for answers. "You don't have to explain." </p><p> He didn't respond, merely breathing out through his nose. His mother's eyes didn't drift to stare curiously at the flying bison, nor Bad, nor the rapidly-forming crowd. They were on Clay alone.</p><p>"I'm sorry," She began, her voice thick with emotion. The sincerity in her tone made Clay's heart nearly stop. "that I haven't been the best mother these past few years." Clay shook his head, reaching up to layer his hands over hers. He still didn't say anything. His mother's thumb caressed his cheek, reminding him of times young and innocent. Of a child who knew nothing more of comfort than the feeling of his mother's touch. </p><p>"Mom." He whispered, his voice quieter than the breeze. </p><p>"I know, for you, there are bigger things out there than Ba Sing Se." She smiled softly, tears in her eyes. "Whatever you need to do, Clay. Go do it." Clay's own eyes moistened, and he fought the painful heat rising in his throat. "I will <em>always</em> support you." She wrapped her arms around him, tucking her head between his shoulder and his jaw. </p><p> Clay leaned forward and returned the embrace just as tightly. He was about a head taller than his mother now, her frame thinner and more delicate than his own. </p><p> <em>But he wasn't holding back.</em> He didn't want to risk a single ounce of his love failing to translate from the strength of his arms to the tenderness of his mother's heart. </p><p>"I promise I'll try to write to you. And Anna, too." Clay whispered into his mother graying hair. He took note of his father, still lingering back on the front porch. He stared at his father for a few seconds, and then turned to Annabelle. His little sister rushed forwards and threw her arms around him as well. </p><p>The embrace between the three was tight, a bit awkward, but completely needed. It filled Clay's heart with love and confidence. He may have been leaving, but in the end it was all to protect the people he loved most. With one last squeeze, Clay broke away. He knew it had to be him, to end the hug, or else it never would end.</p><p>He looked to Bad, who was standing respectfully a few feet away by Muffin, his hands clasped.</p><p>"Ready?" Bad asked, and the earthbender nodded to him curtly. Taking a short stick from the inside of his coat, Bad raised his arm and brought it down quickly. The stick extended into a long staff, and with one more swing Bad was propelled into the air and right onto Muffin's saddle. Before he could move, Clay found his mother thrusting something heavy into his hands. He looked down. It was a small velvet bag. Upon opening it, Clay realized it was filled with gold coins. He looked up at his mother in alarm, taken aback by the sheer fortune he was holding, but she merely chuckled lightly. Annabelle whistled lowly, looking a little jealous.</p><p>"It was meant as a going-away present, but I think it's more appropriate for this." Clay's mother whispered to him, giving his hand one last, tight squeeze. He smiled in thanks, putting the money into his satchel.</p><p>"Thank you so much, mom. For believing in me." He looked between her and Annabelle. "Both of you." He didn't dare to spare a glance at his father in the distance. The dirty-blonde earthbender backed awa slowly, and turned towards Muffin. Bad extended a hand down, and Clay gratefully took it, using one of the gigantic saddle's leather straps as a foothold. He heaved himself upwards, nearly falling forwards onto Muffin's back. He just barely regained his balance, hoping that nobody down below had seen his mistake. Bad shuffled forwards to sit at the front of the saddle, and then turned back towards Clay.</p><p>"If there's anything else..." The airbender trailed off awkwardly, and Clay shook his head. He looked at his mother and sister, their arms still around eachother, faces turned up towards him. Their eyes were shining with hope. Clay raised his hand and waved, trying to capture every detail of their faces into his memory. </p><p>"Yip-yip!" Bad chirped, and suddenly Muffin stirred. Clay reached out to steady himself against the side of the saddle. Slowly, the flying bison lifted from the ground. </p><p>"BYE, CLAY!" Annabelle shouted as they ascended higher and higher. "GO DO IMPORTANT SHIT!" She was waving her arms wildly, looking less like a wave and more like a cheer. His mother laid her head onto  Annabelle's, smiling sadly.</p><p>"Bye..." Clay responded in an whisper, knowing that they wouldn't hear but finding comfort in responding nonetheless. The roofs of houses came into view; they must have been around twenty feet in the air. The flying bison raised its tail slowly, and Clay knew. He knew he had to look onwards, towards the sun. Muffin's tail came down with a powerful swing, propelling them forwards. The crowds below cried out in surprise as the wind buffeted their clothes and sent plumes of dust swirling off the road and into the open air. </p><p>The earthbender felt the wind in his hair as Muffin flew faster. It cooled his scalp and he felt it smooth his expression. He watched as the village gradually shrunk, the houses like square rocks among a wide green field. They flew higher and higher, Clay having half a mind to feel wary of the danger of falling. He looked at Bad, who had let his hood fall down once again.</p><p>"So this is what it's like." Clay said, watching the landscape as they passed by. If he focused, he could spot the massive shadow which Muffin cast onto the ground far below. "To ride a flying bison, I mean." </p><p>"Yup." Bad said cheerfully. "Doesn't get much better than this." Clay shifted to sit more comfortably on the saddle, leaning against the tall edge for support. It was strangely comfortable, up here. The saddle didn't feel as hard as it looked. There were blankets spread out along it, looking warm and slightly old. There were a few hooks along the saddle for bags of food, clothes, and other small things. Clay briefly wondered how long Bad had been travelling alone for. He decided to ask. After all, it was just them up there. And the clouds.</p><p>"How long have you been a wandering nomad?" Clay asked, trailing a hand along the ground. He had set his satchel down in the corner, secured on a hook. Upon hearing his question, Bad glanced over his shoulder, and then moved to sit facing Clay. He didn't seem bothered by the question.</p><p>"About five years, since I was nineteen." Bad mused. </p><p>"So you're twenty-five?" Clay asked, and Bad nodded in confirmation. "Do you mind me asking... why? I mean—why would you want to be alone for so long?" Bad turned his head, his eyes trained on the far-off distance. He looked thoughtful.</p><p>"I never really saw it as being alone." The airbender replied honestly. "I just saw it as time dedicated to focus my chakra, strengthen my connection to the spirit-world, and fortify my bond with the Earth." Clay's eyebrows raised in surprise.</p><p>"You can connect to the spirit world?" </p><p>"Of course. Most airbenders can," He cracked his knuckles absentmindedly. "We spend years training our minds, perfecting inner-discipline." His eyes were clouded with the memories of his past. Clay wondered why they looked so weary. "Airbenders born in the air-temples with monks, like myself, are taught a strict ideology. We are pacifists at heart. We don't eat meat. We practice temperance. That, and other things, are what make us naturally closer to the spirit world." The earthbender tilted his head in interest, listening intently. "I can feel its energy sometimes without even trying, actually; in the world around me. It's because everything has its own aura, each varying in strength." He paused, and his gaze seemed to pass straight through the other man. "You too, Clay." </p><p>Clay scratched the back of his neck, looking away. He was only just starting to realize how little he knew about airbending culture. </p><p>"I don't know much about the spirit world at all, or chakra for that matter." Clay admitted. "In my village, the biggest mission is to create proud warriors of the earth. A lot of our earthbending traditions are based on competitions of strength, or fighting." Clay felt a bit embarrassed, not having much else to say about his own culture. "We don't restrict diet, or alcohol, or sex..." Clay's mind briefly supplied the image of his family's next door neighbors, smiling gleefully with their thirteen kids roughhousing joyfully in the background. "Um—our economy is based on all things earth: pottery, masonry, armory, construction..." He scratched his cheek. "It's not as sophisticated as yours, but..." His words trailed off and died within his throat.</p><p>"No, it sounds great!" Bad reassured him with an honest shake of his head. "All cultures are beautiful. Part of the appeal of being a nomad is getting to experience unique cultures, far different than my own." He smiled, but then his grin faltered. "However...in my years I've noticed some troubling things about this world." Clay crossed his arms, curious to know what the airbender was referring to. "The kingdoms...are <em>extremely</em> uniform." </p><p>Clay raised an eyebrow, folding his legs over each other,</p><p>"What do you mean?" </p><p>"I mean, benders are far too separated. There's a great divide between each kingdom." Bad let out a small, frustrated sigh. "Think about it. Growing up, how many benders did you meet which weren't earthbenders?" Clay thought hard about the question for a moment, but his mind came back blank. </p><p>"I can't really think of anyone, I guess."</p><p>"And that's just it," Bad pointed out. "I've seen it in nearly every village I've been to—benders which only know their own culture, only know people <em>exactly</em> like them." His hands moved wildly, the airbdender making abstract gestures as he spoke. Bad's eyes locked with Clay's. "It's like, the longer all the elemental kingdoms keep to themselves, the more detached we become from each other. And that seclusion leads directly to conflict." </p><p>Clay felt a light shiver run across his body at Bad's words. He had never thought about it, but Bad's reasoning made sense. </p><p>"Trust me, I've seen it. The repercussions have been appearing." The airbender said. "When I wander, I pick up gossip from different places. According to what I've heard, there's brewing tension between the Fire Nation and the Northern Water Tribe. About a month ago, the Fire Nation attacked three Northern Water Tribe fishing vessels." Clay's eyebrows furrowed in concern. He had certainly never heard of such conflicts. But then again, he supposed that his village wouldn't care much about anything which didn't involve the Earth Kingdom. "Based on what I've managed to piece together, there was some sort of miscommunication which led to the firebenders fearing that the fishing vessels were marine ships in disguise. They attacked violently and without warning, killing several waterbenders." Despite speaking about such grim topics, the airebender's voice was as light and upbeat as ever. "Now, foreign affairs isn't my thing..." Bad crossed his arms, mimicking Clay. "...but confrontations like that can <em>easily</em> lead to a full-on nation war." </p><p>Clay sat up straighter. <em>A full-on war?</em> The nations had lived in harmony for centuries. He had never even entertained the idea that there would ever be wars, especially in his own lifetime. </p><p>"More than that... I think the Fire Lord has been contacting the Earth King to organize something. My guess is, an alliance." With every new word from the airbender's mouth, Clay grew more horrified. </p><p>"Are you suggesting the Fire Nation is trying to get the Earth Kingdom on its side? Against the Northern Water Tribe?" Clay's eyes narrowed in thought. Bad looked a bit put-off by the earthbender's intensity, but Clay couldn't help it. </p><p>"Essentially..." Bad said, his voice growing soft. "...yes." Clay breathed in deeply, and then exhaled. He sat back. </p><p>"I can see why it's important that the kingdoms become more connected." Clay murmured. He paused for a second, a new thought occurring to him. "Do you think this is part of why I was needed in the first place?" He looked down at himself. "To help re-connect the kingdoms?"</p><p>"I'd say so. Was your dream specific in naming who you were up against? A certain enemy?"</p><p>"No." Clay shook his head. "I barely received any information at all. I was only told to find three Pure Benders of air, water and fire, to establish them as some sort of 'bridge,' and to fight a looming evil. I wasn't even told about this flower being a purity scanner." Clay pulled out the rainbow-colored plant, eyes crinkled with bitter distaste. </p><p>"Well, then." Bad raised both of his eyebrows, the disbelief bare on his face. "It seems my dream <em>was</em> much more informative than yours." Clay scoffed. "<em>I</em> was told that I was a Pure Bender, someone who perfectly embodied their natural element. I was shocked, but not as much as when I was told to find an earthbender named Clay Stronghold. I was given the name of your village, Endré, and later figured out that it was tucked away in the corner of the Earth Kingdom." Bad thought for a moment. "Perhaps... I was meant to find you before you found me." He closed his eyes in deep thought. "I have a means of transportation—you don't." </p><p>"Dude, your guess is as good as mine." Clay shrugged. "Do you think that the other two Pure Benders also had similar dreams?"</p><p>"I have no idea." Bad replied. "My dream didn't mention it. I hope they did; finding them would be a lot easier if they knew we were looking for them." Clay nodded in agreement. "It doesn't matter right now, though. I think, to avoid biting off more than you can chew, you should focus on learning just one element at a time. I'm gonna teach you all I can about airbending so that you can master it as quickly as possible. And then, together, we'll find the next Pure Bender."</p><p>Clay nodded. It was a sound, logical plan.</p><p>"That makes sense." Looking around in confusion, Clay frowned. "Umm... where exactly are we going, then?" Bad grinned. </p><p>"The middle of nowhere." Upon seeing Clay's expression, the airbender added, "Don't worry, I have a specific place in mind. It's somewhere far from people, in an open area perfect for training." With that, the conversation fizzled into nothing. Clay didn't mind the silence. He enjoyed watching the world move slowly as Muffin sped over it all, faster than anything Clay had ever been on. </p><p>Hours passed, with some light conversation bouncing back and forth between the two benders, but not much else. They were both tired, Clay especially, and as soon as the color of the sky began to droop, Bad guided his flying bison down towards the ground. Clay looked around, noting that they were indeed in the middle of nowhere. The moment that Muffin touched the grass, Clay leapt from her back and landed skillfully on the ground. He breathed a sigh of relief, one he even didn't know he needed to let out. Having his feet off the ground for so long had spawned a small ball of anxiety within him. He inhaled the scent of grass and dirt, relished the solid ground beneath him, and promptly collapsed onto his back. </p><p>"I missed the ground." Clay admitted, letting his eyes slip closed. He laid there, silent, for a few more minutes as Bad unpacked the materials for a portable tent. The sound of crickets chirping from somewhere far off was like a lullaby, but Clay fought the urge to sleep. After awhile, he heard the gentle thud of boots approach him. Clay cracked his eyes open and sat up, ready with an apology for not having helped thus far, and for being lazy—</p><p>—only to realize that the person beside him was a complete stranger. And was wielding a sharp knife, pointed directly at him. Behind him stood three more men, looking rough and raggedy. They wore crumpled clothes and had unkempt hair, all with the same wild, deranged expression. One of them was holding Bad, a knife to his throat. Clay's stomach sank as he sat up slowly:</p><p>"Put your hands up." The closest man ordered, his voice grating in comparison to the gentle sounds of the night.</p><p>
  <em>Bandits.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sooo I hope there aren't too many mistakes in this chapter!! Hope you all enjoy it regardless!! :)</p><p>Please leave a comment on any of your thoughts at all, even if they're tiny! I love interacting with y'all, and it does wonders for my motivation!! &lt;3</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Kindness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bad and Clay face their first enemy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>okay i know I procrastinated but at least I wasn't as late as the Dream Shorts channel smh /j</p><p>also how we feelin about knowing Sapnap and Dream met up??? Apparently they're living together for the next month!! I'm so freaking happy for them,,, crossing my fingers for some crumbs of vlog content outta this</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Get up," The bandit ordered Clay, pointing a long, sharp-looking sword at the base of his throat. "and keep your hands in the air." For a second, the earthbender glanced over to Bad. The airbender had his arms held behind his back by a different thug, and a hand gripping his hair violently, his head tilted up at an awkward angle. His eyes were staring back at Clay, strangely calm. The earthbender took in a deep breath.</p><p>"You a bender?" One of the strangers asked Clay, his voice sounding a bit nervous.  Clay closed his eyes as he slowly rose from the ground, his hands up as instructed.</p><p>"No." Clay answered, praying that his face remained stoic and impassive. The bandit closest to him instantly grabbed his hands and jerked them behind his back, quick to constrict them with a rope. The knot was tight and uncomfortable on the bare skin of his wrists, but Clay grit his teeth and stayed quiet. The guy was almost a head shorter than himself, anyways. If he wanted to, he could take him down right then and there. But for some reason, Bad hadn't made a move yet.</p><p>"Somebody secure the airbender. Make sure he can't move an inch." The man behind Clay, presumably the leader of the bandit group, ordered. The other three pulled out other ropes and constricted along Bad's arms. Right before they got to his legs, the airbender spoke up.</p><p>"I think you guys would be happy to know that I happen to have a very rare item of clothing on me." The hazel-haired boy said breathlessly, a blade still flat against his throat. One of the bandits took the bait. </p><p>"And what is that?" A grunge-looking blonde asked, rising to Bad's eye-level.</p><p>"This cloak," Bad replied, and Clay could only watch as the bandits began inspecting the airbender's attire. "it's enchanted to hide the identity of whoever wears the hood." Upon noticing the clear interest on the thieves faces, Bad continued confidently, "See for yourself; pull it over my face." </p><p> The leader of the group glared in distrust. </p><p>"How do we know you ain't gonna pull a trick?" He walked up to Bad, and the bandit holding the knife to the airbender's kneck pressed it harder against his skin. Clay watched as droplets of blood grew beneath the edge of the blade.</p><p>Still, Bad wasn't panicking, so neither was Clay—although his body tensed up with alertness.</p><p>"I can't do anything, my hands are completely immobile..." Bad responded, wincing at the grip in his hair. After sharing a look with his cronies, the leader of the bandits reached to grip the top of Bad's hood. Slowly, he brought it down over Bad's face. Just as the airbender said, a wave of darkness passed over his face, concealing everything. The bandits began chuckling eagerly, exchanging looks. </p><p>"See?" Bad's voice wafted from within the pitch black darkness. "This thing is a lot more valuable than anything you'd find in a village." With the attention off of him, Clay focused on the earth behind him. With his front to their attackers, he could summon the earth behind him without them seeing. Clay focused on conjuring up a small, jagged spike behind his back, just tall enough to reach his wrists. As he summoned the sharp object, he slowly rubbed the rough rope against the jagged spike, trying to keep his movements small and minimal.</p><p>"We're gonna be so fuckin' rich!" One of the bandits cackled, eyes glued on the enchanted cloak. He shook Bad's body with his movements. The same bandit grabbed the hood of the cloak and pulled it away from Bad's head. For a second, Clay didn't notice anything.  Then, upon closer inspection, he realized that, in between Bad's lips.... was a small dagger. Smiling, the weapon held sturdily between his teeth, the airbender tilted his head back. He breathed in deeply, and before anyone could react, a large gust of air propelled the dagger from his mouth and straight into the air. The bandit closest to Bad yelped and stumbled back as the knife fell downwards with terrifying speed.</p><p>Bad shuffled forwards on his knees and jutted his bound arms behind him. The knife fell perfectly within the thin gap between his wrists, slicing through the thick ropes. Now free, Bad straightened up, retrieving the lone dagger. The bandits had all backed away in shock. Clay's mouth hung open, his movements temporarily halted. He quickly realized that this was the perfect diversion, and returned to scraping the ropes against the rock behind him. However, his confused eyes never left Bad.</p><p>"H-How...?" The lead bandit stammered, his face scrunched up with confusion. All eyes were focused on the airbender.</p><p>"Do you guys wanna know a cool airbending trick? It's not something they teach you in school." Bad took a step forward, his hand disappearing inside of his cloak. His hand returned with three more daggers, sandwiched between his gloved fingers. He took one from the bunch and held it up for everyone to see. "See, a normal knife-throw will travel at about...hmm, I'd say forty miles-per-hour." Bad brought his hand back, and—quicker than Clay's eyes could track—propelled the dagger from his fingertips and toward the bandit which had been previously holding him. The knife sailed through the air at an impressive speed and just barely snagged the edge of the man's coat, yanking him backwards a few feet. The man yelped and stumbled at the sudden attack, landing just before the lone tree in the area. The sole dagger had been thrown with such pinpoint accuracy that it stapled his cloak to the ground, causing the man to splutter and pull clumsily at the object. Bad had a small smile on his face, not necessarily out of malice, but not out of glee either. It was more akin to satisfaction. Clay shivered. </p><p>"However, once you incorporate airbending into an already-good throw," Bad lifted his hand—this time with two daggers—and—</p><p>Clay saw the airbender's arm move, saw the way that his arm pulled back and brought itself into the throw, his wrist curling ever so slightly just as the weapon left his fingertips—but he did not see the knife itself at all. All Clay managed to process was a high-pitched whistling noise which cut through the air, piercing his eardrums. There was nothing, and then suddenly the bandit which was just pinned to the ground had both of his arms up on either side of him, stuck to bark of the tree by one dagger each. His face was twisted into frozen terror morphed with disbelief. <em>How on Earth</em> had Bad managed to throw the knife like that?</p><p>"...you can triple that forty into a one-twenty." Bad walked forward briskly, the three standing bandits taking retreating steps away from him. It was obvious that their tough exterior had melted away at the sight of Bad's power. And it was <em>very</em> impressive power, which Clay had not expected a gentle person such as the airbender to behold. "Just before I throw the knife, I add a little burst of air right at my fingertips." Bad knelt down before the bandit stuck to the tree. "That extra push helps to make up for the air friction which would normally slow down a throw, as well as for my lack of physical strength." The rope at Clay's wrists finally pulled apart, and the earthbender stood up slowly, rubbing his wrists. None of the bandits even bothered looking at him, perhaps because they didn't even notice.</p><p>Suddenly, another bandit lunged towards Bad, a knife in his hand. He slashed his arm forwards, aiming across Bad's chest, but the airbender dodged gracefully. It was as he used the air itself to push his body away from the attack. The airbender crouched low to the ground, kicking the bandit's feet out from under him. The man crashed to the ground with a pained groan, his body shaking. </p><p>"C'mon, man..." The bandit stuck to the tree whimpered. "We don't want any trouble..." Clay walked over to Bad, his face twisting with annoyance, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Bad put a hand on his shoulder. Clay glanced at Bad, and the hazel-haired man's face was softened with what looked like sympathy. </p><p>"Neither do we. Can't you guys find a better way to make money than mugging strangers?" Bad crossed his arms, looking like a cross parent reprimanding their child. To Clay's utter shock, the bandits responded with whispered mumbles and sheepish shuffling. The one presumed to be the leader stepped forward, his eyebrows hugging with a pained expression.</p><p>"We have no other choice, man... Market prices are rising by the week." Bad and Clay exchanged a quick glance. "I'm just tryna feed my family, man... we all are." He gestured to the other men, and it was then that Clay got a closer look at them. One thing they all had in common—besides their rumpled clothes and unshaven faces—was their thinness. Their faces were hollow with suffering and pale with malnourishment. Bad frowned, and Clay felt a bit guilty for having so quickly judged them. Sure, they were cowards for attacking innocent people and trying to steal—but when a man has no other choice but to endure such degradation in order to provide for his loved ones, that shameful path becomes a difficult reality. Clay understood their desperation.</p><p>"You're saying prices are going <em>up?</em>" The earthbender inquired, and the bandits nodded. "But... we're not in a drought. The harvest has been great this year."</p><p>"I dunno why, but I know it's by at least one gold coin each time." The lead bandit explained, wringing his hands together. "At our home village, bread was five coins a loaf." </p><p>"Five?!" Clay shouted, his eyebrows sky-high. At Endré, a single loaf would cost two coins—and that was if the baker was feeling stingy. "My village hasn't had this happen."</p><p>"That's cuz it's all the villages closest to Ba Sing Se, where the Earth King is!" The bandit stuck to the tree responded, his eyes occasionally darting to look fearfully at the airbender. "If yer close to the coast then nothings changin'." </p><p> Clay blinked a few times, trying to process this new information. Why would prices be rising in just these villages, especially when there was more than enough food to go around to each village? If the recent bountiful harvest had anything to show, it was that prices would be <em>dropping.</em> Clay looked to Bad, who was busy pulling his daggers out from the bandit's clothes. As soon as he was free, the bony man scrambled away like a wounded animal. Bad looked a little guilty.</p><p>"I understand now." The airbender said, his voice quiter than before. Quickly, he went over to Muffin, who had been unbothered ever since they'd landed, and began poking around at the bags tied to her saddle. Soon enough Bad made a noise of recognition and pulled out a small bag. He walked straight towards the lead bandit, who backed away with distrust and uncertainty. Bad stopped once he was close enough to the man, and he gently held out the small bag. It was an offering.</p><p>The bandit hesitated, and then took the pouch. He opened it and his eyes instantly muddled with tears. He looked back up towards Bad. </p><p>"Thank you." He whispered, and he threw his arms around the shorter man. Bad yelped a bit at the close contact, but the tight embrace was over after a few seconds. The teary-eyed man stepped away with a large, grateful smile on his face. "And um, sorry about the cut." He gestured towards Bad's throat. The airbender shook his head and promised that it was fine. Sharing their leader's sentiment, the other men thanked Bad and Clay, and then the group turned and walked away. Their forms grew smaller and smaller in the distance as Clay watched, four dark smudges against an otherwise clear blue sky.</p><p>The earthbender turned towards Bad.</p><p>"That was rather generous of you." Clay commented, unsure of what else to say. Personally, if it was just himself against muggers, he would not end the dispute by handing away money. But, this way did have its own heartfelt benefits, he supposed. </p><p>"Well, I know exactly what it's like." Bad answered cryptically, his expression trained on the distance. He glanced at Clay suddenly, as if just then remembering that he was there. "Well, we should set up a little camp here. I doubt we'll have any more visitors for awhile." </p><p>Clay snorted. </p><p>"That's what you said before we landed, and then we got attacked by bandits." The airbender's face ripened with embarrassment, and Clay chuckled lightly. </p><p>"Yeah, well, this time I'm <em>really</em> sure!" The shorter man promised, dabbing at the small cut on his neck.</p><p>"Right, right." Clay nodded, moving to help take apart the small tent which Bad had tucked away in one of the many bags. "Anyways, what was with that insane knife-throwing just now?" The airbender chuckled a little at Clay's awed tone. </p><p>"I just so happen to be a knife thrower, as well as an airbender." He huffed as he rolled out the top of the tent. "I was showing off a little to make an example and stop those guys from actually hurting us. That's all that was." Clay thought back to how terrifyingly-fast Bad had flung those knives. The precision alone was telltale of a <em>very</em> experienced professional. Clay paused to think, and then he smiled mischievously at an idea.</p><p>"So... you're just a badass." Clay concluded, smirking. Rather than shouting out at the cuss word, Bad surprisingly smiled. </p><p>"Where do you think my nickname came from?" The airbender grinned proudly, and Clay blinked for a second in confusion. As it hit him, the earthbender let out a humored exhale. Both men silently continued working on setting up the tent together. Several seconds later, in the form of an incredibly-late afterthought, Bad muttered: "Language, though." </p><p>Clay burst into laughter. Although he had even more questions concerning who Bad was, Clay still felt as though he understood the man a little better than before. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>bruh train lets go</p><p> <br/>bruh bruh bruh bruh bruh bruh</p><p> </p><p>I was struggling to think of a suitable excuse for bad's nickname, but then i had this whole idea. and yes, I did just form an entire chapter around the explanation of Bad's nickname. what're you gonna do, amiright chat</p><p> </p><p>hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, even if it was short! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Resilience</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bad and Clay work together to teach the to-be Avatar some airbending.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>we're nearing 1K hits and that is so pog yall dont even know how happy I am</p><p> </p><p>just for yall ill tell a secret about the story:</p><p> </p><p>much of the inspiration for the story came from Tangled's soundtrack. particularly, that song that plays when they're at the festival and they're dancing and shit </p><p>yall know what im talking about. yall know. Writers draw inspiration from the most random of places, but im not complaining</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> "No..." Bad sighed, shaking his head. "You're being too <em>rough. </em> You're supposed to be directing the air around you—not yanking it." </p><p>"Well, Earthbending is much different than this." Clay responded curtly, his tone sporting an edge. The frustration of repeatedly failing to airbend had left the man feeling agitated. Growing up with over-scrutinizing eyes glued to his every move, Clay developed an unhealthy trait of perfectionism. When it took more than one or two attempts to complete a task, his mind would compel him to indiscriminately attack both himself and anyone around him from frustration. That thin tolerance for failure was becoming evident, and Clay had to work to reel his temper in. </p><p>"I get that." Bad replied breezily, before pausing to think to himself. A moment later he turned and walked away from Clay, approaching the nearby flying bison. Muffin was napping against one of the scarce trees, and did not stir even when Bad propelled himself onto her back. He retrieved some sort of blanket and jumped down to meet Clay's curious face.</p><p>"What's this?"</p><p>"We've been trying simple airbending tricks so far, but nothing has worked," Clay's eyes fell to the ground in embarrassment, "so it must be your mind that isn't ready yet! I dunno know why I didn't think of this before..."  As if his actions had an obvious reason, the airbender laid the blanket flat on the ground. It was a dark, velvet red, with sprigged golden flowers trailing along the edges. Unconvinced, Clay glanced from the blanket to Bad.</p><p>"Soo, why the blanket?" </p><p>"It's not a blanket, it's a meditation mat." Bad corrected, a finger in the air. </p><p>"Oookay," Clay sat down in front of the mat. "so you think meditation can help me to airbend?" </p><p>"Every monk grows up in a stable spiritual environment from day one." Bad explained, sitting opposite to Clay. He placed a small, shallow dish on the mat between them. "Airbending requires at least some mindful reverence, as the air itself is jam-packed with spiritual energy. All you have to do is learn to connect with that energy around you, and then you'll be able to successfully manipulate it." Clay only understood half of what Bad was saying, but he stayed silent. "You've never gotten to experience the tranquility and clear-mindedness which meditation brings, being brought up in an earth village. Or, am I wrong?"</p><p> Clay thought back to Endré, with the constant gnashing of stone, never a second of quiet nor contemplation. He recalled memories of his fellow earthbenders stomping about with their intimidating eagerness, eyes focused ambitiously on the future alone. They were simple warriors of the earth, dismissing the complexities of any emotions other than pride and stubbornness. They never paused, never rested, and <em>certainly</em> never wasted time on meditation.</p><p>"No." The dirty-blonde male murmured, his lips pursed. "Um... What's first?" </p><p>"Well..." Bad extended a hand out over the ground beside him. He dug his fingers into the soil and scooped up a small pile of dirt, emptying his palm into the container on the mat. "Of course, since you have no experience whatsoever with tuning into the energy in the air, don't expect this to make a huge difference. It should at least help you to take the first baby step, though." His words were somehow disheartening and encouraging at the same time, Clay mulled to himself. "A person can only meditate if they're in a comfortable environment. Monks are trained to be able to find peace in any situation, no matter how chaotic, but for a beginner this is alright." The airbender gestured to the bowl of dirt. "I thought that maybe having some earth to look at would make you feel a bit more relaxed, since I've seen you calm yourself by touching the ground a lot." </p><p>Clay felt flattered at Bad's thoughtfulness. He refrained from pointing out that there was already <em>more than enough </em>dirt all around them, and opted instead to smile gratefully. </p><p> "Thanks."</p><p>"Don't mention it." Bad responded coolly, though his expression told Clay that he was pleased with himself. "Now, take that comfort you get from the earth and hold it steadily in your mind and heart." Clay's eyes slid shut as he tried to focus. He thought of the coolness of earth, how its surface absorbed however much heat the sun gave it, sometimes even to the point of cracking and fading to dust. Still—there was always rich soil hiding beneath that scorched crust. Always. To reach that soothing truth, one just had to break through its damaged exterior and drive themselves towards hope. </p><p>Bad's voice came floating into Clay's ears like a ripple gliding across a lake. </p><p>"The peace you're feeling now is akin to a sort of... neutral energy. It's like a blank page, full of potential." The airbender took in a deep breath, and Clay found himself subconsciously copying him. "This is what the air around you feels like; it will mimic the energy which you emit."</p><p>The earthbender continued breathing deeply. His heartbeat had slowed. The tension he usually carried on his shoulders was melting and sliding down his body. It was as if the air around him was gently peeling away his outer layer of scorch. It felt nice. He had the brief urge to fall asleep, but Bad's voice once again pulled him from his own mind.</p><p>"As an airbender, you must become as similar to your surrounding energy as possible. It will follow your lead, as long as you prove that you're capable to lead it." Bad instructed Clay. "You're closest to peace in this state than in any other. Remember not to forget this feeling—to mind the energy around you." Clay nodded. Or, at least, he thought he did. His entire body felt light, felt fleeting. </p><p>Bad gently placed his hand on his shoulder. "Now back to me, Clay." </p><p>Like a curtain being abruptly jerked shut, Clay jerked to alertness. He looked around as if it was the first time he'd been there, taking in the open area around them with a sense of bewilderment.</p><p>"That was... definitely different." The dirty-blonde breathed out. He glanced towards the airbender at the sound of a small chuckle.</p><p>"I can tell that you're not used to such a calm atmosphere." Bad said with amusement, and Clay nodded and gave a meager laugh of his own. He still felt tired, which was weird because he hadn't done anythi—</p><p>The bowl between them was empty. The dirt was gone.</p><p>Clay's eyebrows furrowed, and he looked to Bad for explanation.</p><p>"Bad, why'd you...?" The airbender shook his head and crossed his arms.</p><p>"Nope—not me." His finger jerked up in a short, pointed movement. Clay's gaze trailed upwards, his eyes scrunched, until his eyes locked onto a smudge against the bright blue sky. Actually, it was more like a veil of brown; the dirt was circling above his head, taking the shape of a miniature whirlpool. It wasn't the dirt that was moving, Clay realized, but the air supporting the dirt. The way the particles flowed, with grace and guidance, proved that it was not Clay's earthbending at work here.</p><p>"Am I... Wait, really? Is this—?" Clay's mouth hung open, his thoughts ground to a halt. Just as quickly as his attention was brought to it, the collection of dirt suddenly lost its support, and its form crumpled in on itself.  A shower of dirt and dust rained onto Clay's head and into his agape mouth. He spluttered and sprang up, wiping aggressively at his face.</p><p>Despite the unwelcome taste of soil on his tongue, Dream's face was alight with glee. </p><p>"I—<em>hah!</em> I did it!!!" The earth in his eyes stung reassuringly. Particles flew from locks of his hair as he violently shook his head. Bad stood up more slowly, grinning.</p><p>"Yup. Great job, you've successfully completed your first airbending task!" </p><p>Clay looked at the airbender with confusion, shimmying off the last of the dirt particles.</p><p>"I thought this was just meditation, though? I wasn't even <em>trying</em> to airbend..." The younger male picked up the empty dish, as if an answer for him was sitting inside. </p><p>"Well, it was meditation!" Bad rolled up the mat. "Sometime a particularly energetic connection can result in accidental bending. I think that... your mind was so focused, you were subconsciously putting some of that energy into the air around you, and your emotions guided the air straight to the dirt!" He giggled in excitement. "Oh, this is spectacular! Now we can finally get somewhere!" </p><p>Clay laughed along with him, his intense happiness at having finally airbended outweighing the previous hours of frustration. Bad picked up the bowl and grinned brightly at the other male.</p><p>"Let's practice some more with dirt," he suggested. "I think you respond best to that. After, we'll tackle some basic gusts—and then I'm thinking I'll teach you how to throw knives..." He trailed off, at that point speaking more to himself than Clay, "Oh, and can't forget the basics of wind shielding..."</p><p>Clay raised his eyebrows at the curriculum which Bad was rapidly forming. It sounded like quite the task, like lots of difficult and new challenges laid out one after the other. </p><p>He grinned in excitement. It was <em>perfect.</em></p><p>_____________________________________</p><p>Hours passed. Although his progress was merely a trickle in terms of pacing, Clay was not as discouraged as he had been before. With Bad's encouraging words and helpful guidance, Clay had nearly mastered a few simple airbending moves. Given he could focus, the avatar-in-training could spawn tiny tornadoes of soil, with a breeze strong enough to manipulate loose rocks and plants but not yet people. It was still a good start.</p><p>He had also gained the defense skill of wind shielding. With one quick swing of his arm, Clay could send a body-sized air current in any direction. The strong current could deflect incoming attacks well, including even some of Bad's knife throws. Though, the airbender was surely not using his full abilities when he flung daggers towards Clay's vulnerable body. </p><p>It seemed like he was best at air defense rather than air offense. Bad theorized that this was because of Clay's relationship with fighting. </p><p>"You're used to heavy, tangible attacks." Bad explained during the pair's short rest break. "Airbending and earthbending are probably the most different in their philosophy. They're both equally as useful to a skilled bender, but airbending is <em>lighter.</em> Not as in weight—as in conscience. It demands clarity and peace of the mind. Earthbending, in contrast, is more reliant on firmness and conviction." Idly, the airbender twirled some leaves above his finger. Clay watched as his hand guided the leaves in an endless circle. "Like firebending, they both depend on the bender's emotional control, or lack thereof." </p><p>Clay glanced at Bad's face. </p><p>"What about waterbending?" The airbender paused at the question, his hand stilling.</p><p>"It's hard to explain, especially since I'm not even all that sure..." He pursed his lips in thought for a moment, and then stood up. Their break was over. "I guess you'll just have to ask the Pure waterbender we find later on." </p><p>"I guess so."</p><p>"Anyways, it's probably still a bit too early for your mind to fully recognize airbending as something which can be used to attack someone else," Bad stepped away, retrieving some more knives. "but that's okay. We can build your air defense skills in the meantime." Clay nodded, shifting his body into a stance ready for the incoming assault. </p><p>As more time whisked away, the sky grew too tired to hold the sun up. It bled orange and pink hues, draining away into the faraway hills and revealing the navy spread of glittering stars overhead. Bad and Clay sat on a nearby fallen log, two makeshift cots set up inside the tent. They had formed a small campfire to combat the cold, although it wasn't dreadfully freezing out. </p><p>In one hand was a cup of tea, the other splayed over his knee. Each new breath into his lungs brought about a tender, refreshing ache. It was a comforting discomfort. Clay felt secure in the knowledge that he was finally working towards a meaningful goal.  </p><p>"So," Bad began, his voice sounding quiet and a bit tired against the still atmosphere. "how are you feeling?" </p><p>"Hm?" Clay looked up from his tea, his eyes adjusting to the growing darkness. Bad's question, for some unknown reason, took him off guard. "Um, well..." He tried to come up with an appropriate response, something truthful yet not too revealing. Not too vulnerable. "Frankly, I'm exhausted. I'm glad that I'm here, though. That I'm working hard." His answer seemed to suffice, but Bad's piercing gaze made the earthbender second-guess his simple front. His eyes were too focused, too aware, <em>too much. </em> "How 'bout you?"</p><p>"I'm good. I feel the same way." Was all that Bad replied with. Vagueness was met with vagueness—and rightly so. </p><p>Clay took in a deep breath, and held it within his lungs for a bit. The pressure felt nice.</p><p>"What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Clay asked, aware of exhaustion's tugging on the corners of his mind. Bad perked up at his question.</p><p>"I was hoping we could visit a nearby village so I could stock up on cabbage. Muffin eats a heck of a lot of veggies, you know." Clay looked over to the big creature, napping a few meters away under the lone tree. He smiled softly, Muffin's gentle snores growing on him. "Afterwards we'll pick back up on airbending training."</p><p>"Alright, sounds good to me." Clay agreed, downing the last of his tea and holding back a large yawn. "I think I'm gonna get some sleep. Should one of us stay up at intervals to keep guard?" </p><p>Bad snorted at his suggestion, waving a hand dismissively. </p><p>"Of course not, muffinhead! Don't you worry, Muffin'll make noise if she senses anybody near us at all. She's a <em>great</em> guard." Clay glanced between Bad and the deeply-asleep flying bison, his expression full of doubt.</p><p>"Umm..." The airbender was grinning so brightly, Clay gave in easily. The urge to sleep was too strong to ignore, anyways. He sighed, his voice still containing traces of uncertainty. "If you say so..." </p><p>So the two bundled up inside the tent—a reasonable distance apart from eachother, of course. Bad must have fallen asleep rather quickly, because his breathing had stabilized and his form gone still within a few minutes. Clay, despite knowing he was decently exhausted, didn't fall asleep for awhile. He held the rainbow-petaled flower in his hand, twirling it between his thumb and forefinger. He must have had some profound thoughts during those deep moments of contemplation—</p><p>—but sleep did eventually come, and with it, the latest of his memories dropped off the edge of consciousness.</p><p>____________________________________</p><p>"Thank you for invitin' me over for dinner, Mrs. Stronghold." The young man nodded gratefully, his rose-colored hair falling elegantly over his shoulder.</p><p>"Ohhh, stop it, Techno." Mrs. Stronghold wrapped her arms around the earthbender guard. "You know you're like our third son. What's ours is yours!" He chuckled, and bid farewell to Mr. Stronghold as well. "Make sure to come over more often, okay? We love having you, and I make more than enough food as it is." </p><p>"Of course." Techno forced a small laugh. "I just wish Clay was here, I was looking forward to sparring with him..." His eyes passed over the family. Both Clay's parents and his youngest sister were present. The other siblings weren't usually home. "Where did you say he was, again?"</p><p>Mr. and Mrs. Stronghold exchanged a glance, some unknown secret hidden within their pupils. Mr. Stronghold huffed and looked away, leaving his wife to respond. She met Techno's eyes head on, fighting back the combined nervousness and guilt of lying.</p><p>"Clay went to another village to visit a friend of his. It was an emergency of short notice. I'm sure you understand how these things can't be helped, being one of the King's guards..." She trailed off, laughing to lighten her expression. Techno merely nodded, his calm expression unchanging. "I know he was excited to see you, though. Maybe next time you two can catch up." </p><p>"Yeah." Techno sniffed awkwardly, grabbing his coat. He opened the front door and descended the front steps after a few more minutes of lighthearted discussion. Before the door fully closed, however, a figure dashed through the gap and tackled Techno. The man let out a huff as Annabelle hung from his shoulders, giggling joyfully. </p><p>"You didn't say bye to me, Techno!" The girl said, and Techno shook his head affectionately, lowering her down to the ground.</p><p>"Sorry." He apologized, scratching the back of his head. He was never one for conversation, never good with emotions. Especially regarding children. "Bye."</p><p>Annabelle let out an extremely loud, extremely over-dramatic groan. Techno raised an eyebrow at her sudden exasperation. </p><p>"You're just as cold to me as ever!" She accused him, but her eyes sparkled with an authentic understanding that Techno appreciated. "Anyways, I wanted to tell you a big secret before you left," She glanced cautiously back at the front door, which was still partially open. Her parents were farther inside the house, but even so she dragged the pink-haired man a few more steps into the road. "It's about Clay." This seemed to catch the man's interest more than her other attempts at attention, and he leaned down to allow Annabelle to whisper into his ear. </p><p>"Clay's actually not going to a friend's house." Annabelle said in a hushed tone. Techno's eyes narrowed. "He's the avatar, and he's going on a mission to save the <em>whole frickin' world."</em> Her soft words were gentle, yet abrasive against the silent night. She was grinning widely, her eyes full of pride and wonder and <em>trust.</em> Techno stood very still for the immediate moment. Then, he straightened up wordlessly. Looking down at Annabelle, who was very obviously disappointed by his lack of a reaction, he sighed. Her expression told that she was hoping for more. Slowly, Techno patted her blonde head, shaking his head and chuckling. </p><p>"Right...Goodnight, Annabelle." His voice was tinged with amusement. The earthbender turned and began walking away, leaving the young girl frowning and alone in the middle of the road.</p><p>After he was sure that she had retreated back into the safety of her house, Techno let his unbothered expression slip. His eyes twisted into a sort of pained glare; he crossed his arms tightly as he walked back towards his tent. Her words lingered in his head, and with every step his grip grew tighter. </p><p>So Clay was the Avatar? </p><p>"This is..." He whispered to himself, tilting his head up to blink at the moon. "...exactly what I had feared." The moon stared back, not responding. </p><p>It was a troubling development that would definitely impact his plans, but Techno was quick to regain his resolution. A small drizzle had begun, the droplets hidden in the darkness. They fell upon the man's face as if the gods were weeping for him from above. He would still go on, no matter what happened. </p><p>Because Annabelle was wrong: Clay wasn't the one who was going to save the world.</p><p>Techno was.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ugh i am so eager to get started on Sapnap and Gogy's introductions, but its just not time yet. I want at least a few chapters to build on Clay's relationship with each individual Pure Bender, so to demonstrate how special and unique his dynamic is depending on the person. I'm also very antsy to write the heart-pounding and fluffy romance dnf shit but that stuff absolutely CANNOT be rushed. the longer the wait, the sweeter the reward, folks</p><p>i am SO excited for the future of this story, i have huge ideas and i think they're all very entertaining and fun to think about! I hope you're all interested!! :) What are y'all thinking about it so far?? Leave a comment if you wanna, I'll reply to every single one with great happiness and gratitude!!</p><p> </p><p>ALSO STREAM ROAD TRIP</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Bouquets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clay and Bad visit an Earth village and pick up on the latest gossip regarding the Earth King, and Bad tells Clay a little more about his past.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>THANK YALL SO MUCH FOR 1.5K READS!!! POG AWARD POG AWARD </p><p>ALSO I AM SO SO SORRY I KNOW MY UPLOADING SCHEDULE IS AS BAD AS SAPNAPS, I WILL TRY TO GET BETTER!! ANYWAYS ENJOY THE CHAPTERRRRR</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clay had come to realize that most Earth villages looked the same.</p><p>Endré was a smaller village, with houses of gray cobblestone and roofs studded with reddish-colored tiles. The village they were visiting now was further north than Endré, but if Clay hadn't known better he could have easily mistaken it for his home town.</p><p>"We'll just pop in for some cabbages and other supplies and then we'll be outta here." Bad explained as the two approached the village, Clay watching the townsfolk curiously. They went about their mornings quietly and with an air of impatience. He could hear the sounds of pickaxes in the distance, weary hands eager to strike more than common coal or iron. </p><p>"Right." Clay nodded, wandering away from the airbender. As he walked, he continued observing the people around him. He wondered if he blended in here, if simply being a fellow earthbender meant he could fit into any earth village without trying. The sun was particularly fierce today, with no clouds nearby to dilute its wrath. Already Clay could feel beads of sweat growing on his scalp and the ball of his nose.</p><p>His distracted mind left his legs to function on autopilot, eventually leading him to the front of a small shop. It was different than the others; dozens of colorful flowers stood on rows of stone columns and shelves. He took a step closer to the shop, letting the shade from the blue banner relieve his burning skin. There was a sign to his right.</p><p><em>Puffy's Petals (assorted bouquets, vases, and more!) </em> </p><p>Once further inside, he noticed a shorter figure crouched behind the counter. Her back was to him, a large mass of white fluffy hair obscuring most of the woman's frame. She suddenly stood up straighter, a box of flowers in her hand, when she noticed Clay standing there. Giving an apologetic smile, the storekeeper said,</p><p>"Sorry, I'm not selling for my usual prices anymore..." For a second, Clay just stood there. Then, he blinked and shook his head,</p><p>"It's alright, I'm not shopping. Just, uh, looking around." </p><p>The woman squinted at him before setting the box down. </p><p>"You're not from here." It wasn't a question. </p><p>"Yeah." Clay stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm visiting with a friend." The storekeeper nodded. </p><p>"Thought prices here would be better than your own village's, eh?" She walked around the counter and stuck her hand out. "Doubt they are. My name's Puffy, by the way." </p><p>"Clay." The earthbender shook her hand, and then added, "But... actually, my village hasn't been affected by whatever's going on with the market." Puffy raised an eyebrow and turned to remove a nearby bouquet of flowers from their vase, setting them into a box. It was at that moment that Clay realized what Puffy was doing. </p><p>"Are you... closing?" He asked, his voice light with concern. There were several boxes stacked all around the room, each packed with different flowers and small pottery.</p><p>Puffy let out a deep, tired sigh. "Yeah. I can't make a living here anymore. Nobody has the extra money to buy flowers; they're too much of a luxury now, I guess." A tone of bitterness seeped into her voice as she explained her situation. Clay's eyebrows lifted. </p><p>"Do you know why?" Feeling awkward just standing there, Clay opted to help the woman out and move a vase which she seemed to be struggling with. She gave him a thankful smile.</p><p>"Only partially. Ever since last month, the Earth King started collecting large donations of food from villages within three-hundred miles of Ba Sing Se." She paused, plucking off a dead leaf from a rose. "Well, I say <em>donations,</em> but we don't really have a say in it. Every week villages like mine have to scrape up meat, wheat, rice, potatoes, <em>everything else we grow.</em> Even most milk gets confiscated by those damn soldiers!" </p><p>Clay frowned deeply. Now he understood. Earth villages were heavily reliant on farmers. If produce was going more towards Ba Sing Se than the actual villages it was grown in, then that scarcity of food would cause prices to incline.</p><p>"What does the Earth King need so much food for?" Puffy gave a curt shrug, her face troubled.</p><p>"I don't know, and I don't care. I just want to be able to buy bread for one gold coin, like I used to be able to." She stilled with her hand on the edge of a tall vase. Her arm snaked around her waist, stopping on her stomach. "I don't think I've eaten a proper meal in three days." </p><p>The bag stuffed with gold coins in Clay's satchel suddenly felt a lot more heavy. He swallowed thickly, scraping his boot against the grass underfoot. </p><p>"Anyhow, that's why I'm moving. Thinking of going east, towards the coast. I've heard rumors of a special place, somewhere—" </p><p>"There you are!" A high-pitched voice interrupted the snowy-haired girl. Clay turned around to see Bad. The airbender had a large sack thrown over his shoulders, the faint outline of cabbages showing through the patched material. Bad moved closer, and noticed the solemn state of Puffy's flower shop. "Oh..."</p><p>"Bad, this is Puffy." Clay introduced them. Puffy nodded to the airbender, but didn't move to shake his hand. She looked rather put-off by the intimidating clothes which Bad wore. </p><p>"Are you ready to go back to camp?" Bad asked Clay quietly, and the earthbender nodded. Puffy moved to return to packing up her things, but Clay put a hand on her shoulder. He reached into his bag and retrieved eight gold coins. Her eyes latched onto the shiny metal as soon as she saw them. </p><p>"Hope this helps you get a proper meal." He felt a bit embarrassed and hoping his generous act wouldn't be taken the wrong way. He didn't want Puffy to think he was pitying her. </p><p>Luckily, Puffy scooped up the gold coins with huge eyes. She held them close to her chest with tight fists. Her eyes swelled, eyebrows furrowing with gratitude and confusion alike. "Thank you, but why...?" </p><p>Clay thought back to what happened yesterday, with the bandits.</p><p>"It's alright." He took a step away, starting to leave. Over his shoulder, he looked back at the woman. "If things don't get better on their own soon, I'll do something about it. I promise." Puffy's eyes widened, and she could only nod in response.</p><p>________________________________________</p><p>"Doing good deeds has never smelt so good!" Bad chirped happily, holding an assorted bouquet of pretty blue flowers. Clay agreed wordlessly, enjoying the floral scent which his bouquet emitted as well. </p><p>Puffy had given them both small bouquets each, even though Clay insisted that he didn't expect anything in return for the money. The girl had shook her head and gotten quite stern, sending them off with a stubborn smile. It reminded the earthbender a bit of his mother. </p><p>They hadn't ridden Muffin to get to the village, so the two benders were forced to return to their camp by foot. The journey itself was uneventful, accented with small but insignificant bits of small talk. The flowers in Clay's hand quivered in the breeze, the man often finding himself distracted by their unique shade of blue. Puffy had arranged the bouquets with the two benders specifically in mind, but the blue color seemed a bit out of place. He <em>was</em> an earthbender, so wouldn't a shade of green be more appropriate? Yellow, even. Blue was... a calm, stoic color. Soothing.</p><p> Nevertheless, the flowers were gorgeous.</p><p>"Hey," Bad started, adjusting the sack of cabbages on his back, "I think the next part of your training should work on offense."</p><p>Clay glanced at him, nodded, but said nothing. Bad began humming to himself to fill in the silence, and the sound was low and comforting to the earthbender. Suddenly—without warning nor explanation—Clay felt a sharp pain in his chest. There was an unusual coldness there, as if small ice crystals had sprouted within his heart. He halted in his steps, clasping a hand onto his chest and bunching up the clothing there. Bad walked a few more paces before he realized the other had stopped.</p><p>"Clay?"</p><p>Just as instantaneously as it had come, the pain stopped. Clay blinked rapidly, breathing heavily with his hand still gripping at his shirt. He looked up at the airbender, and then shook his head. </p><p>"Um, nothing." </p><p>He was cut off abruptly by the airbender's extended arm. </p><p>"Wh...?" Clay's eyes rose to the distance, scanning over the fields, until they focused on their makeshift camp. Two blurry figures were rapidly running around, dumping out boxes and overturning objects. It was far away, but what was happening was unmistakable: they were once again being pillaged by bandits. The earthbender broke into a sprint, releasing a deep yell which seemed to inch slowly over the field. Bad sped up, extending his arms to bend the air around him and propel his body forwards. Clay mimicked him, briefly pleased when he felt his own pace quicken. The strength in his arms must have given him an advantage over the smaller man, because soon he was travelling at a speed even greater than Bad's.</p><p>The bouquet in his hands was forgotten, and before he became aware of it the flowers were torn from their bindings and scattered to the wind behind him. His momentum had sent an explosion of petals behind him, like a sapphire firework spreading its body over the green grass. </p><p>It only took a few more moments until Clay was close enough to see exactly what the intruders were doing to their camp. They were wearing ratty brown cloth, an impoverish sight which Clay was now used to seeing, with expressions of mixed hostility and shame.</p><p>"Get outta here!" Clay yelled, coming to a stop about fifteen feet away from the pillagers. Bad, who arrived only a few seconds after the earthbender, skidded to a halt besides him. </p><p>"Fuck off!" One of the pillagers revealed a crossbow, aiming it at Clay and pulling the trigger without warning. The earthbender gasped and crossed his arms over his face out of instinct. As swift as ever, Bad had thrown a knife at the last second to collide with the arrow. The two weapons clashed and the arrow was sent spinning away. Clay took an equally relieved and shaken step backwards, nodding in thanks to the airbender. </p><p>That guy could have killed him, had the arrow made impact. </p><p>That thought was what compelled the earthbender to act, not to stand around and give the pillagers another chance to fire at them. Without thinking, Clay rose a large chunk of earth from the ground besides his feet. He bent his knees, turning his body as if a pitcher casting a ball, and swung his arm as hard as he could. The boulder of soil and rock shot through the air and exploded against the pilliger who had shot at Clay, sending him flying several feet away. The chunk of earth exploded into hundreds of smaller pieces, and Bad rolled his arms to create a shield of air and block both of them from the projectiles. </p><p>With one pillager down, and definitely not getting up anytime soon, Clay turned his attention to the other. Bad hadn't retrieved more knives from his coat, so Clay assumed that his partner had enough faith in his skills to let him defeat the final pillager all on his own. The thought made him grin, giving off the kind of smile which was empowered by a hunger for victory. The second bandit stuttered for a second and then pulled out his own crossbow. This time, Clay was prepared for the arrow. </p><p>For just a fraction of a second, time seemed to pause. The earthbender, before moving, was able to reach into his mind and select a memory. What he needed was a recollection of a move Bad had taught him just yesterday; a special airbending trick used to push enemies away but not to inflict major harm.</p><p><em>"It's kinda hard to do, even for me,"</em> Bad had said the day before. <em>"and you're still much weaker at offense than defense..."</em></p><p>
  <em>Clay grinned ambitiously, ready for the challenge. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Show it to me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And he did. The Avatar-in-training watched with wide eyes, hungry eyes, as Bad carefully performed the airbending move. It consisted of a back step, a light shift of weight from one leg to another, and the raising of both arms to guide a current of air upwards. The airbender then leaned forward, returning his weight to the opposite leg, and heaving a mighty wave of air down, as if a god commanding the seas to crash down upon the land before him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Clay knew that the only way to get stronger was by learning as much as he could about bending, and so every minuscule movement was tracked and recorded into his memory. He was never good in school—but that didn't mean he was a bad learner.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He just never had the right motivation.</em>
</p><p>As time regained its regular speed, Clay's body jumped into action. Picturing the airbender in his mind, Clay took a step back, swinging his arms backwards and focusing on the air around him. The energy was his to control, and as such he commanded it to rush over his enemies with a grand sweep of his hands. </p><p>The pillager let out a strangled-sounding grunt as the tidal wave of wind slammed into him, not only knocking the air from his lungs but also his feet out from underneath him. Just like a real wave, the current of energy swept the pillager up and into the air—his buddy, too—and cast them away as if they were weightless. Eventually, several hundred feet from where Clay stood breathing heavily, the thieves were thrown to the ground in a heap. They scrambled to get up and fled, crying out in fear and casting terrified glances behind themselves.</p><p>It took the earthbender several seconds to register what he'd just accomplished.</p><p>"CLAY!" Bad threw his arms around Clay's shoulders, jumping up and down excitedly. "That was <em>amazing!</em>"</p><p>The earthbender let out an amazed laugh, nodding with glee. </p><p>"Thank you! Thank God it worked!" Together, they moved around their makeshift camp, checking for stolen or damaged items. The only things missing were small trinkets, and...</p><p>"Wait, where's Muffin?" Clay paused, his expression rising in alarm, but Bad gave a carefree chuckle. </p><p>"Duck." He replied, and for a second the avatar-in-training stared at him blankly. Then, hearing the sound of a deep grunt and the rustling of fur, Clay dove to the ground just in time for the flying bison to glide over him and land swiftly on the barren patch of dirt. Huffing, Clay stood up and brushed his clothes off, and Muffin seemed to snort in unapologetic amusement. </p><p>"Muffin gets spooked easily, so she probably left when she saw those mean-looking pillagers," Bad explained, approaching his fuzzy companion and running his hands over her head. "Isn't that right Lucy? Isn't it? Yes it is!" Muffin made a noise of happiness.</p><p>"Lucy?" Clay repeated, raising an eyebrow. He busied himself on starting a fire for purifying some water. </p><p>"That's Muffin's real name. I call her by lots of nicknames: Muffin, Rat, Baby..." He scratched behind the giant animal's horns and it seemed to melt into the ground with comfort.</p><p>Clay smiled and shook his head, finding his partner's relationship with his flying bison endearing. He stares at the water as it begins to boil, absentmindedly practicing his airbending by swirling the steam around in small gusts of guided swirls.</p><p>"You really have made so much progress." Bad praised him, sitting on the fallen log which they had dragged next to the fireplace a few days prior. "Today you proved that you can airbend fluently in battle. Some native airbenders can't even do that, Clay." </p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yes. Even Skeppy—" The airbender cut himself off, freezing. The earthbender raised his head to look at the older man. Bad's expression was pained, his eyebrows pulled tightly together. </p><p>"Bad, who's...?"</p><p>The airbender went quiet, his gaze fixed on the ground. There was a distant look in his eyes, as if memories were playing in them and the real world was being tuned out for a moment. Then, bringing his gaze to Clay's, the hazel-haired man murmured:</p><p>"Someone who's very dear to me." Muffin seemed to sense the sudden shift in the atmosphere, and she shuffled towards Bad to nudge at him lightly with her head. "I haven't seen him in years, though." </p><p>"Oh..." Clay replied, feeling guilty for having brought clearly painful memories to his friend's mind. "Sorry."</p><p>"It's okay." Bad shrugged, clearly trying to play off his real emotions and appear unaffected. "His name is Zak, I just call him Skeppy. I like nicknames, as you can tell." He gave a very quiet, very bittersweet-sounding laugh. "We grew up together in the airtemple. He wasn't raised by monks, like me, so he had a lot more free time." Picking up on the fact that an important story was being told, Clay shifted his body to face Bad. "Whenever he could, he'd sneak me out of the monk quarters and we'd glide together off the mountain." Clay didn't miss the shine in Bad's seafoam-green eyes, a very deep kind of reflection swimming in them. "I was always better at flying, but he'd challenge me to races anyways. I think it was because he knew I liked to win." </p><p>"Sounds like he cared a lot about you." </p><p>"He did. And I... cared about him just as much." Bad began wringing his hands together, a nervous habit that Clay had grown accustomed to seeing him do. "Once a month, he'd travel down the mountain to pick fresh flowers for me. They were a kind which only grew at the base of the mountain, but it was a very dangerous and difficult path to travel. Every time I'd scold him for doing it, and then the next day I would make the trip myself to find <em>him</em> some special flowers. The cycle continued because neither of us was willing to be the first one to stop giving flowers." It was then that Clay noticed that Bad's hands were not being wrung together; they were fidgeting with the flowers Puffy had given him. Light blue, with jagged petals that made them appear like crystals. Bad was looking at them with a fondness so tender, Clay felt the need to look away so as to not intrude in the intimate and personal space that his friend had created. 

</p><p>And then, in a whisper which floated softly below the quiet gurgling of the water, Bad said: </p><p>"He was my first love." </p><p>Clay's eyes snapped back to the airbender. He examined his friend's face in silence, his mind racing at the new information.</p><p>"'Was'?" </p><p>"We had a fight." Bad drew his knees to his chest, holding them to himself for security. "It was big. And I couldn't handle it—being there, seeing him. So I left."</p><p>"And that's why you're a nomad...?" Clay inquired, frowning sympathetically. </p><p>"Yeah." Bad sighed deeply. "I don't know where he is now. He probably hates me for leaving without saying goodbye—"</p><p>"No!" Clay interjected, raising his voice just a little. The airbender jumped, startled by his outburst. More calmly, Clay continued, "I mean, sorry, it's just that there's no way he could hate you. Whatever it was about, the fight must have hurt you both. From what you've said so far, he loved you just as much as you did him. I'm sure he'd appreciate seeing you again." </p><p>Bad raised hopeful eyes to Clay. "Think so?"</p><p>"Yeah," the earthbender nodded, "I do."</p><p>There was a period of grateful silence, spent by ladling the boiled water into canteens for future drinking. Bad eventually broke the quiet by asking,</p><p>"Have you ever had a lover?"</p><p>Clay expected the question, but that didn't make his answer hurt any less. </p><p>"No." </p><p>"Sorry to hear that." Bad murmured. "Do you want one?" </p><p>Now <em>that</em> question, Clay wasn't prepared for. He furrowed his brows, thinking deeply. Did he want a lover?</p><p>"I'm not sure," He eventually replied, albeit hesitantly. "I guess I'd like someone to bring flowers to, one day. Someone who I could talk to for hours on end, and then listen to them for just as long. Someone to hold at night." His genuine response shocked both of them, as Bad tilted his head and Clay found himself blinking in surprise. "I—I mean..." He tried to backtrack, but Bad shook his head with a smile. </p><p>"Y'know, there's no shame in wanting a special connection with someone. Everyone does." </p><p>"Right." Clay nodded, bouncing his leg against the ground and trying not to further dwell on the subject of romance. </p><p>Hours of talking and a bit of airbending practice later, and the earthbender was tucked snugly into his cot for the night, sleeping soundly. Bad was outside, keeping watch. After having dealt with so many bandits, both benders decided that they should start taking turns at night to guard their camp. It would be extremely unfortunate if someone came by in the night and decided to swipe their money or supplies while they were both asleep.</p><p>Clay was twisting and turning in his bed. His skin was covered in sweat, but not only due to the summer heat. His dream was particularly disturbing; a nightmare in which he was running in a pitch-black hallway and being chased by a ball of purple fire. No matter how fast or how far he ran, the fire stayed the exact same distance from him. His lungs were burning and his legs were beginning to slow, until he finally stumbled and fell. The fire sped towards him and engulfed him in seconds, burning through his skin and destroying him in an instant.</p><p>Nearly screaming, Clay had shot up from his cot in fear, his heart pounding. He stumbled from the tent in a bleary-daze, startling Bad by his urgency. </p><p>"Woah, hey—Clay! What's wrong?" Bad, although shorter than the other, put an arm around Clay's shoulders and guided him to sit beside the fire. Once his breathing had calmed, Clay spoke in hurried sentences, </p><p>"I had a nightmare—th-this fire, this purple fire, was chasing me. And—and I couldn't escape it. It burned through me." The shaken earthbender put a hand to his heart, feeling how quick his pulse was. "It felt so <em>real.</em> I—I think it's some sort of message, or—or a warning. Of something dangerous." </p><p>"Do you remember anything else? Could you hear words, or see anyone, or...?" Bad asked, rubbing Clay's back in an attempt to comfort him.</p><p>"I don't know. All I know is... There isn't much time. I—<em>we</em>—have to move quicker. We need to find the next Pure Bender as soon as possible."</p><p>_____________________________________</p><p>The crackle of the fire was like a lullaby, harmonizing perfectly with the crickets in the grass underfoot. </p><p>A raven-haired man sat before the flames, his clothes rumpled and his eyes wide. He adjusted the white bandanna on his head, glancing around at the village's houses. Luckily, nobody had seen him jolt awake from his strange dream. </p><p>Nobody except the dying fire before him. With a wave of his hand, the man stretched the flames back up to a healthy height, finding comfort in the resulting wave of warmth which ran over him. It fought back the chilly fall air. </p><p>"Well, that was a weird-ass dream." He said aloud quietly to himself, running a hand over his tired face. "Good thing that nobody actually has the power to bend all four elements. That shit's <em>way</em> too OP." The glowing fire twitched this way and that, as if nodding in response. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yes, I DO hope that scene of Bad reminiscing about skeppy suckerpunched you in the guts. &lt;3</p><p>LMAO JK but seriously, I tried hard to make it seem authentic and moving, but I am very tired so it probably all sucks</p><p>STILL, feel free to leave a kudo if you're enjoying the story so far!!! I'll get back to anyone with questions/comments asap :) Love y'all! (also, I've created an Instagram account for anyone who needs to reach me, it's @creativewriter722)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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